All across the country the Thunder Nation is rejoicing – opening batsman Aiden Blizzard has hit form in the lead-up to the lime green's Big Bash League title defence.
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Blizzard posted unbeaten scores of 81* (from 55 balls) and 97* (off 52) to power the ACT Comets to two nine-wicket victories over Fairfield-Liverpool and Sydney University in the Kingsgrove Sports Twenty20 Cup at Manuka Oval on Sunday.
In his last game of premier cricket he punched out 93 for ANU against Queanbeyan.
Blizzard says he didn't get much sleep the night before the double-header and the culprit might be a secret to success.
"My son who is five-and-a-half-months-old was up for most of the night so maybe that's the formula moving forward," Blizzard laughed.
"I've been working hard in the nets for a little while now. I haven't had too much luck with the red ball but definitely the change of format and mindset today was really positive so really happy with that."
Two wides to finish the second game left Blizzard stranded on 97 not out against Sydney University but the 32-year-old wasn't overly fussed.
"I was very happy to get through the innings again but who knows, I probably would have skied one anyway and game over," Blizzard said.
Blizzard flies to New Zealand with the Thunder on Tuesday along with Ben Rohrer, who top-scored for Fairfield-Liverpool with 70 (off 43) in the opening fixture of the day.
Blizzard and the reigning BBL champions will take on a Canterbury XI on Thursday before playing the Canterbury Kings at Hagley Oval on Friday night.
Comets fast bowler Joe Slater continues to impress in the lead-up to his stint with the Thunder as the club's regional rookie, picking up 2-14 and 0-12 across the two matches, while Ben Taylor took five wickets over the two games.
The Comets will be without Blizzard for their final game of the Twenty20 tournament against Bankstown in Sydney next Sunday.
However, the two comprehensive victories keep the Comets in reach of a finals appearance despite dropping their tournament opener to Parramatta in October.
KINGSGROVE SPORTS TWENTY20 CUP
AT A GLANCE
ACT COMETS 1-124 (A Blizzard 81*, M Gilkes 27, P Uppal 1-18) bt FAIRFIELD-LIVERPOOL 7-119 (B Rohrer 70, L Ohrynowsky 14, B Taylor 3-11, J Slater 2-14)
ACT COMETS 1-149 (A Blizzard 97*, M Spaseski 35*, B Joy 1-44) bt SYDNEY UNIVERSITY 5-145 (D Mortimer 45*, B Trevor-Jones 25*, B Taylor 2-25, S Devoy 2-32)
