ACT Comets representative Jono Dean – a former Bathurst cricketer with the Rugby Union club – has been arguably the most impressive batsman at the tournament to date after two blitzes in the opening two rounds.

Dean has been opening the innings for the Comets, who are being lead by former NSW and South Australian Sheffield Shield player Mark Higgs, and has almost single-handedly won them their opening two matches.

In their first match on Monday, the Comets batted first against the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence outfit and had Dean to thank for their

9-165 total.

He smashed a swashbuckling 83 from just 43 balls, including nine fours and three sixes as the Comets amassed what would prove a match-winning total.

He combined with Tom Thornton (25) for a 106-run stand for the second wicket in just 10 overs.

Though they slowed significantly after Dean was dismissed but it was still good enough as they were able to hold the Centre of Excellence to 8-152.

The following day ACT met Western Australia and didn’t fare quite as well as WA managed to reach 5-170.

The Comets looked good for a second straight win as Dean teed off once more, clobbering 50 runs in boundaries alone (eight fours, three sixes) in his 69 from just 36 balls to set his team on their way.

Once again though, as soon as he left the crease the wind went out of his team’s sails, and they crumbled to be all out for 154.

In yesterday’s final preliminary game, Dean’s fortunes finally turned downwards as he was dismissed for just five by South Australian senior representative Gary Putland having earlier hit Putland’s first ball of the match for four.

They were still able to make a more-than-competitive 8-172 thanks largely to 49 from Higgs and 30 from Ashton May, and were in a good position to defeat the Redbacks when they began their innings yesterday evening.