Wests-UC are without Blake Macdonald, Sam Skelly and Matthew Gilkes this year but still toppled Queanbeyan by nine runs in a nail-biter at Jamison Oval on Saturday.

Wests-UC skipper Matt Condon says the final-over thriller is the perfect rehearsal for what comes next - they'll meet the same opposition in the Cricket ACT Regional Twenty20 semi-finals on Sunday

Gilkes made the move to the Sydney grade competition to play with the University of New South Wales and has since played for the Sydney Thunder's academy side.

Macdonald and Skelly also went to the big smoke - paving the way for a few familiar faces to get a chance in first grade.

Wests-UC veteran Matt McGann is back in the top grade alongside Josh Boyd, joined by 17-year-old opening batsman Lachlan Murchie.

But it was Ethan Bartlett (75) starring with the bat and Tom Engelbrecht (3-24) doing the damage with the ball.

"We've always had great depth as a club. Obviously we've lost a lot of players over the past couple of seasons but it's great to see that depth has been tested and blokes are getting an opportunity," Condon said.

"We had the guys there, it was just a matter of availability and guys stepping up, which they've done at the moment and we hope they continue doing throughout the season.

"It just shows, [consistent] performances in two's over a couple of years and you'll get your chance and keep progressing through first grade as well."

It was a day in which almost everything went to plan in the clutch moments - but Condon couldn't resist a sneaky jab at teammate Joe Cooker for dropping "an absolute sitter".

"The boys have done pretty well for this time of year. We've lost a few players but the guys that are replacing them have really held their own," Condon said.

"It's excellent to take this momentum and in the tight games really prove we can hold our nerve."

Meanwhile, half-centuries from opening batsmen Blake Dean (57) and Josh Myburgh (54) steered Weston Creek Molonglo to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Eastlake at Stirling Oval.

Ginninderra fast bowler Luke Ryan (4-26) cleaned up the North Canberra-Gungahlin batting line-up to gift the Tigers the perfect start to their Gallop Cup campaign with a 144-run victory.

Tuggeranong youngster Benji Floros was in a hurry to get home after pounding an unbeaten 39* (32) to get his side's title defence rolling against ANU.

ANU have little time to lick their wounds with a spot in the Twenty20 grand final on the line against reigning champions Weston Creek Molonglo at Stirling Oval on Sunday.

Meanwhile, former Test fast bowler Trent Copeland will captain the ACT/NSW Country Comets in the first round of the Futures League against New South Wales Metro at Manuka Oval on Monday.

AT A GLANCE

Cricket ACT Gallop Cup: WESTON CREEK MOLONGLO 5-194 (B Dean 57, J Myburgh 54; N Wood 2-23, A Glover 1-18) bt EASTLAKE 193 (P O'Malveney 44, N Mathai 31; D Bloomfield 3-46, D McLean 1-23)

GINNINDERRA 6-300 (P Sachdeva 65, R Healy 63; H Axelby 2-50, M Boak 1-25) bt NORTH CANBERRA-GUNGAHLIN 156 (R Wight 40, R Coates 30; L Ryan 4-26, C Suidgeest 2-24).

TUGGERANONG 5-186 (A Sharms 62, B Floros 39*; A Lodhi 2-57, S Murn 1-18) bt ANU 9-180 (O Chivers 79*, D Leerdam 27; T Floros 3-22, O Anable 1-35)

WESTS-UC 230 (E Bartlett 75, M Condon 41; M Spaseski 4-33, V Dukoski 3-24) bt QUEANBEYAN 222 (M Spaseski 60, D Solway 41; T Engelbrecht 3-24, B Duffy 2-46)

CRICKET ACT REGIONAL TWENTY20 CUP SEMI-FINALS

Sunday: Wests-UC v Queanbeyan at Jamison Oval, Weston Creek Molonglo v ANU at Stirling Oval. Games start at 2pm.