Dean Bennett has shown his ability with bat and ball to help Coro pick up a nine-wicket win over Leagues Club at Westend Oval on Saturday afternoon.
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After winning the toss and electing to bat it was the Panthers who were able to make a strong start with Matt Keenan and Ryan Greenaway at the crease making early inroads with a strong showing of aggression towards Coro's openers.
The opening pair were able to put on 24 before Greenaway (9) was bowled by Ben Signor (1/16), but Andrew Madden and Keenan were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
In a partnership of 68, the pair were able to get the Panthers close to 100 before Madden (30) became the first of Bennett's victims when Damien Walker caught him.
Keenan (65) was able to get past fifty before he and Ben Leach (4) fell in quick succession to the bowling of Bennett.
Jimmy Binks (15) was the only other Panther to post double digits as Bennett (5/44) and Angus Kennedy (4/14) cleaning up the remaining wickets to see Leagues bowled out for 143 after 43.5 overs with the remaining batsmen not able to make more than five with two golden ducks.
In response, the Cougars were able to make a strong start with Mitchell Williams-Hedges joined out in the middle by Bennett.
After making a composed start, the opening pair were able to get to 63 before Raj Singh (1/20) was able to make the breakthrough with the wicket of Williams-Hedges (21).
Unfortunately for the Panthers that was a good as it got as they missed a chance to get Haydn Pascoe out early with a dropped catch.
With time on their side, Bennett and Pascoe were able to get to put on a partnership of 81 to see the Cougars home with 10 overs remaining and nine-wickets in the shed.
The result means the Cougars will maintain their hold on top spot with a three-point lead over the second-place Diggers.
The top two sides will face off next weekend at Exies No 2 while Leagues will look to climb into the top four with a win over Exies under lights at Exies No 1.
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Liam Warren
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
