Both have tested themselves in the Big Bash Twenty20 competition and against visiting international outfits, Jono Dean known as a big-hitting opener while Blake is a talented all-rounder.

This season Jono Dean is the leading run-scorer in ACT’s Twenty20 competition with 217 at an average of over 100. This week he is part of the Canberra Comets’ outfit which is taking on South Australia in the national Future League competition.

But 2016-17 has thus far seen Blake Dean take a surprise path.

The man who two seasons ago was named the best and fairest for Canberra's first grade competition has been competing in second grade for Weston-Creek Molonglo.

He has thus far made 143 runs at an average of 47.67, with an unbeaten 85 off 58 deliveries in a T20 match his highlight.

"Everyone is getting a little confused around Canberra," Dean said.

"Everyone's like 'Why are you playing second grade? You shouldn't be playing second grade, that's stupid.'"

But, as he explained, there is a good reason behind his decision to step back from first grade. Dean is playing left-handed.

Two-and-a-half years ago Dean realised how hard it is to start from scratch having coached kids new to cricket, so he began experimenting with his own game behind the scenes.

Then an injury in a Thunder academy match left Dean in need of surgery that with a young family he couldn't afford, meaning he had a decision to make.

"It was either give up cricket or try something different," Dean said.

"I could still hold my own in the Comets as a bat, but in saying that, from where I'm at I love the all-round part of cricket.

"Cricket is fun to me because you get to bowl, you get to bat, you get to field – I've never been just a one-dimensional player."

Always trying to find a way to entertain and change the game, Dean is now playing left-handed until he cracks first grade "as a leftie".

Dean's experiment is a goal-setting marathon, the final box to tick being the ability to switch hands whenever he wants.

The plan was originally to play first grade left-handed by the end of the season, but his T20 half century and a wicket from his first left-arm orthodox delivery has fast-tracked Dean's top grade ambitions to Christmas.

"I think some people don't quite understand it yet ... because of the level I was playing at before,” he said.

"I think some people think I'm doing it to take the piss but I'm definitely not."