Darley is confident of keeping hold of star batsman Danza Hyatt for the 2020-21 Ballarat Cricket Association season.
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Hyatt, a former West Indies international, has been a hit since joining the Lions and is currently the leading run-getter in the first grade division.
His 501 runs this season have come at an amazing average of 83.5.
Darley president Brian Wheelahan said the club was currently in negotiations with Hyatt about returning next season and was confident a deal could be locked in.
"He's embraced our cricket club and the cricket club has been fantastic for him," Wheelahan said.
Hyatt is fresh off a brilliant century in the Twenty20 semi-finals and will lead Darley into battle with Mt Clear in this Saturday's top-of-the-table clash.
Cricket was washed out across the competition last weekend, meaning all two-day fixtures have changed to one-day conditions.
The Lions get back wicket-keeper Anthony Taylor this Saturday after he missed the team's victory in round 12.
For the second-placed Mt Clear, medium pacer John Butler is back as the key inclusion.
Elsewhere on Saturday afternoon, Golden Point and Wendouree lock horns in the other top four battle.
The third-placed Point has welcomed back key players Dan White and Peter Appleton, while the fourth-placed Red Caps are expected to go in unchanged from the previous round.
Wendouree captain Gavin Webb said it was a vitally important game for his team, which has tough games with Darley and North Ballarat to come before finals.
"If we are good enough we'll deserve to get there (top four), but if we can't produce over the next five weeks we will finish where we deserve," Webb told The Courier.
Wendouree only has a three-point buffer on the fifth-placed East Ballarat.
Batsman Bobby Hind was set to miss for Buninyong last weekend, but the rain means he can be selected in the team that will take on the reigning premiers.
That's also the case for the Hawks, who can pick bat Brad Whittaker.
East Ballarat slipped out of the top four after last round's loss to the Red Caps, while the Bunnies are down in eighth, 12 points adrift of the finals bracket.
Elsewhere in round 13, Brown Hill hosts Naps-Sebas but will be missing opening batsman Matt Sandford who is away overseas, while Ballarat-Redan is at home to a North Ballarat outfit that has named key bowler Mitch Nicholson to return.
After Saturday's one-day matches, just two more two-day encounters remain until finals get underway in mid-March.
