Alex Ross was delighted to hear the Sydney Thunder were heading back to Canberra for a third time this season at the conclusion of the Big Bash's regular season earlier this week.
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The middle-order star spent two formative high school years in the capital, terrorising opposition bowlers a decade ago at Queanbeyan and then Eastlake before signing a first-class contract with South Australia and launching his cricket career.
He has since become one of the BBL's most reliable wielders of the willow, having enjoyed stints at the Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat before joining the Thunder.
Ross will be up against one of his old employers on Sunday at Manuka Oval when the Thunder take on the winner of the Heat and Strikers in their fourth-versus-fifth eliminator clash on Friday.
And the 28-year-old didn't shirk when asked how confident he was about the Thunder's playoff chances.
"We're really confident this year we've got the side to win it and we said that before game one," Ross said.
"Last year we were just trying to find the right combinations and found it at the end. That's what you try and do when you get those finals.
"To take a win out of Adelaide [on Monday] is really nice and I feel like our batters are going really well and our bowlers have really hit their stride."
Ross has only played seven matches this season after suffering a groin injury late last year.
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"To have a couple of breaks has had its challenges but that's the strength of our squad I guess," Ross said.
"It's always nice to get rhythm in tournament cricket where you can just roll on one game to the next and it doesn't feel like you've ever left the crease."
His groin complaint opened the door for young gun Ollie Davies and the 20-year-old didn't disappoint, wooing the Canberra crowd twice with two hard-hitting efforts either side of Christmas in wins over Perth and the Melbourne Renegades.
"I was incredibly bullish on him," Ross said.
"This year was the first time we saw him bat in a couple of warm up games and he hit a couple of epic shots and I thought this kid's got something special.
"It was no surprise to all of us when he walked out and banged them in those two games in Canberra. If he can curb it without losing that special touch and work a game out. . .he'll be a hell of a player."
The Thunder must win on Sunday to maintain their BBL finals push. Should they prevail, they'll play the loser of Saturday's final qualifier between the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
