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WHILE his brother Jono has spent the off-season getting ready for 2014-15 and another stint with Adelaide in the Big Bash League, Bathurst all-rounder Blake Dean was busy destroying bowling attacks in northern Wales.
Dean today steps onto Manuka Oval with the ACT Comets as they face Afghanistan in the second of two trial one-dayers against the World Cup-bound side.
If his form in the Northern Wales Premier League with the Bangor Cricket Club is anything to go by, Afghanistan are in for a torrid welcome to the nation’s capital.
In the competition which wrapped up earlier this month, Dean clobbered just about everyone he played.
He finished the season with 1,423 runs at a Bradmanesque average of just over 101.
For good measure Dean also took 26 wickets at 20.42.
His batting figures made him easily the most prolific in the competition as the Bangor overseas professional. He hit a remarkable eight centuries across 20 innings.
He bookended his campaign with two tons in the first two matches then three in a row to finish off.
“I’ve spent two years over there in the past playing Premier League cricket, once in Scotland and once in England, so I knew what to expect though with a new club and in a new place you aren’t quite sure how you’re going to go,” he said.
“I have never been that successful at any level in the past, but once you get some confidence and form you can sometimes get on a real roll in cricket.
“Jono showed a few seasons ago when he hit that 50 against the West Indies for the Prime Minister’s XI and then made 300 in first grade.
“I was coming off a fairly good Aussie season even though we lost the grand final in the Canberra competition. I had gotten engaged a few days before it started and usually when you’re happy in general, cricket becomes a little bit easier.”
The Bangor club has had some big names feature for them in the past, and at one stage even boasted the services of Zimbabwean superstar Andy Flower in 2000 shortly before he became the world’s top-ranked batsman.
In assessing the level of play, Dean equated it to being slightly below the general standard in Canberra.
“A lot of Sydney first graders go over there as pros, each team has one and though the competition isn’t quite as good as ACT first grade, it is still a pretty decent standard,” he said.
“It is all one-day cricket, no four-dayers or anything like that.”
Dean’s focus now turns to Afghanistan and like Jono, he knows little about the opposition. However, he has one insight that could help him work out what he’s up against.
“In Scotland I played with half of the squad that has qualified for the World Cup so I’m guessing Afghanistan are going to be at a similar standard,” he said.
“Anytime you can play against a team that has made a World Cup it is a privilege and something that is very exciting. Their players will be out to impress their coaches and try and press for selection in the cup itself.”
The other item on the agenda for the big-hitting leg-spinner is trying to get another taste of the big time.
He made his Big Bash debut for the Sydney Thunder last season but only had one chance, taking 1-29 off two and falling for three with the bat.
He is currently uncontracted, but like his Comets team-mates can impress the Thunder and Sydney Sixes staff when they line up in the Sydney Twenty20 competition later this year.
“I haven’t had any contact with the Thunder, the contract was only for one season and I didn’t exactly prove myself in the chance that I got,” he said.
“It makes you want to work hard. Jono has shown it is possible when you put in the work to take the next step from ACT cricket without having to move interstate and myself and the rest of the boys will be looking to try and follow what he’s done.“