WATCHFUL EYES: Yenda Jets’ Kenny Turner starred for his squad with the ball on Saturday. Picture: Anthony Stipo.
A DEVASTATING spell by Diggers' spearhead Glen Faganello helped his side secure a crushing 92-run victory over Yenda Jets at Exies No.2 on Saturday.
Grabbing 5-17, Faganello didn't even let Yenda get within sniffing distance of his team's 182 total, bundling them out of the game for just 90.
Diggers captain Nathan Smith said Faganello's white-hot performance was the best the bowler had produced in years.
"Glen's a great player and that was one of the best spells I've seen him bowl for a while," he said. "He really pulled us out of a bit of trouble with their run-up Yenda were looking pretty good and hadn't lost too many wickets and Glen saved us."
Stepping up to the crease first, it looked like the problems Diggers were having last weekend in their top order were gone, with opening batsman Scott Smith putting on an impressive 57.
"That's what we prefer and we worked on it this week," Nathan Smith said. "The guys concentrated a little bit more and valued their wickets more."
But Yenda's bowlers weren't going to make it too easy for the competition favourites and Brett Hazelman (2-24) and Matt Bruce (2-20) easily disposed of the remaining top order.
"We started quite well with the ball and took a couple of early wickets," Yenda skipper Tom Spry said. "Pretty much all the bowlers had a good day, besides myself and (Matt) Irvin, and that was one of the positives to come out of the game."
It took the partnership of brothers Scott and Nathan Smith to break down Yenda's bowlers and get their squad back on track.
"They got a good partnership going in the middle and, while Kenny (Turner) had a good run with their tail end, the damage had been done," Spry said.
Setting a 182 run-chase, Smith said his men were confident going in to bowl, despite missing a number of their regular bowlers.
"The partnership between myself and my brother steadied the ship a bit and I would have been happy with anywhere upwards of 160 so it was a good score to defend," Smith said. "Even though we were missing Craig Lugston and a couple of other good bowlers this week, we still had quality bowlers and the guys really stepped up."
While Jarrod Cahill (1-17) and Mark Brown (2-38) combined well to dispose of Yenda's opening batsmen cheaply, it was Faganello's performance that sealed the Jets' fate.
"That wicket really suited Glen's bowling style, he bowled nice and tight on the stumps," Spry said. "We really didn't apply ourselves with the bat at all.
"We've been looking to strengthen our batting line-up a bit but that just didn't happen and it's something that still needs to be worked on."