JONO Dean may not have had the best night with the bat on Sunday as he took on the Brisbane Heat attack in the Big Bash League, but given he and his Adelaide Strikers finished as five-wicket victors, he certainly had something to smile about.
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Bathurst product Dean made eight runs from the five deliveries he faced – a far cry from his 54 off 35 deliveries against Hobart on New Year’s Eve – but he still managed to belt one ball over the boundary for six.
It was his seventh sixth of the season in the Twenty20 format competition.
Dean’s eight runs were part of the Strikers’ successful chase at the Gabba, Adelaide notching up the winning run in the 19th over after earlier restricting the hosts to 6-152.
It was the fourth win in a row for the Strikers, who sit on top of the ladder at the halfway point of the competition. They are two points clear of closest rivals the Sydney Sixers and Dean hopes they can continue their impress-ive streak.
Last season, which was also the former Rugby Union Cricket Club player’s first in the Big Bash League, the Strikers won two of their first three matches but did not taste success thereafter.
“We had a good start last year and then managed to really fall off it at the end of the competition,” Dean said, adding he and his Strikers need to remain focused.
With news that Strikers batsman Brad Hodge will have surgery this week after suffering a minor fracture in his left forearm, Dean is now a strong chance to remain at number three for the rest of the season.
Still, he knows that he will need more runs than he scored against the Heat.
The Strikers won the toss on Sunday night and elected to field first, something which has worked well for them so far this season.
Momentum changed continually through the Heat’s innings as a Strikers attack missing pace weapon Shaun Tait held their rivals to 152 on a pitch that offered quicks good bounce and carry.
Tim Ludeman and Craig Simmons were given the task of starting the Strikers’ chase, but their first wicket stand came to an end after four overs.
Dean arrived at the crease at 1-25 and with two overs of the power play field restrictions remaining, he was keen to take advantage.
He was watchful with the first delivery, the second went sailing over his head, but he got off the mark on ball three as he picked up two runs.
The next ball provided his highlight as he hit a flat six over midwicket.
However, Dean was unable to go on from there, getting a leading edge on a Mark Steketee delivery and giving Chris Lynn an easy catch at mid-on. He fell for eight off five deliveries.
“Just short of a length, just trying to work over mid-on and easy catch. The dangerous Jono Dean goes early tonight,” former Australian representative and Big Bash League commentator Mark Waugh said.
“He just got caught in two minds there Jono Dean. He played the big, aggressive shot off the last one but he was caught in between. He didn’t really go hard at it,” fellow commentator Adam Gilchrist added.
When Dean fell it was 2-36 and while the in-form Ludeman (14) was controversially run out soon after, Alex Ross (36) and Travis Head (57 not out) formed a match-winning stand as they belted 87 from 54 deliveries.
“Great win tonight. Travis Head and Alex Ross exceptional tonight,” Dean tweeted.
Dean and his Strikers will be back in action tonight, hosting the Perth Scorchers at Adelaide Oval.
