The Orange batsmen is part of the NSW Country team, along with Parkes’ Pat Rosser, and will take on ACT in a two-day match today and tomorrow.

This is Colley’s first time in the NSW Country side and he will open the batting for the team.

The NSW Country side had a training camp and meeting in December and this has given Colley confidence.

“After the meeting I really feel like part of the team and I know my role,” Colley said.

“I’m going to keep it nice and simple and not over-think things.”

Colley was a late call up to the NSW Country side for the 2012 championships but had to withdraw as the tournament coincided with the birth of his first child.

He said he made the right decision to withdraw as he loves being a father.

Now he’s keen to grab this cricketing opportunity.

“I feel reasonably confident. I’m looking forward to it. I wasn’t picked for pot luck. I deserved my position in the side,” he said.

“Obviously it’s a great privilege to get to the level I’m at.”

The Australian Country Championships will pose an interesting challenge as teams have to play two-day, one-day and Twenty20 matches.

NSW will start with two-day games against ACT (January 3-4) and Queensland (January 6-7) before playing Twenty20 games against South Australia and Western Australia on January 8.

NSW will have one more two-day game against East Asia Pacific on January 10 and 11 before one-day matches against Northern Territory (January 13) and Victoria (January 14).

Colley said success in the two-day games will be crucial.

“It will be important to get maximum results in the two-day games,” he said.

“We shouldn’t settle for first innings. We need to push for the outright. With two two-day games first up, we’ve got to start well.”

Colley said the NSW team had plenty of depth in the batting line-up.

He’s also confident his team can perform well in all formats of the game due to player versatility.

The representative commitments means Colley won’t be available to play for CYMS in the Orange District Cricket Association first grade competition until round 12 on February 2 and 9.

CYMS sit on top of the competition ladder having won their last five games.

“This is an important time for us (CYMS),” he said.

“It’s probably a big month for us in terms of setting up what our side will be for the rest of the season. It’s important we win our first couple of games after Christmas.”