PACE MERCHANT: In-form Diggers quick Glen Faganello will be key in Saturday’s crunch one-dayer against Exies at West End Oval.
THE FINALS have come a full month early in the Peter Davis One-Day Cup with reigning champions Diggers and stablemates Exies set to fight it out for a place in the decider tomorrow.
All eyes will be on West End Oval as the two sides battle for the right to take on the Coro Cougars, who have top spot on the ladder all but sewn up and a meeting with cellar dwellers Leagues on Saturday.
Both teams are close to full-strength after Diggers all-rounder Jarrod Cahill and Exies batsman Justin Winkler were freed from their Riverina Colts duties following the weekend washout in Wollongong.
"It's a must-win game for both sides," said in-form Diggers quick Glen Faganello, who took five wickets last weekend.
"We haven't dropped a game since Christmas so we're on a bit of a roll.
"Our batting's pretty solid and our bowling is finally settled and we're keen to continue."
That didn't stop Faganello from claiming the underdog tag, though.
"From what I've seen Exies are probably favourites," he said.
"They bat deep, bowl well, they're young and energetic ... they're tough to beat in all forms of the game."
While Diggers can recall Cahill, Dean Crack and Mick Duncan to their squad, Exies will be without Jamie Winkler and Theo Valeri this weekend.
But Exies arguably have the wood on the opposition after chasing down over 200 runs for victory in their last one-day meeting in October.
"We know they've got a pretty handy set of bowlers when they're on their game but we're not bad either," captain Marc Tucker said.
"We scored 300 against them as well in the last two-dayer, the one that got washed out. That was pretty well the same bowling attack as they've got now."
Faganello said Diggers have a score to settle in that respect.
"The boys are pretty keen to make amends for the last few," he said.
In the other first-grade game, Yenda take on Hanwood at Exies No.1 in a day-nighter starting at 4.30pm.