Diggers captain Nathan Smith.
DIGGERS captain Nathan Smith has led from the front with the bat to help set up his side's 54-run win against Leagues Club Panthers at West End Oval on Saturday.
Playing the role of pace-setter to almost bat through the innings, Smith complied a well-made 63 off 93 balls with six boundaries, allowing the rest of his side to attack.
However, Diggers were not in control of the game early as Panthers' opening bowler Will McCrohon imposed his will on the game to help reduce Diggers to 4-57
Smith then combined with Tom Webb (12) and in-form batsman Jarrod Cahill (30) to take the score past 100 as Leagues began to lose its grip on the game.
Handy lower order runs from Josh Cahill (25), Ben Wade (17) and and Craig Lugton pushed Diggers' total to a respectable 186.
McCrohon was the star of Leagues' time in the field, taking 2-34 off 10, with Daniel Peruzzi offering up 2-16 and Adam Izzard bowled well without reward.
The Panthers' run-chase got off to a horror start with Peruzzi, Campbell Jeremy and Izzard being sent packing as Leagues stumbled to be 3-14.
Logan Matheson (24) and McCrohon (46) began to put the innings back on track for Panthers, but the damage had been done as they finished 54 runs short of victory as their 40 overs expired.
Panthers now take aim at Hanwood while Diggers will look to take on another form side early in the season in the form of Coro.