History was made at Malahide as Edinburgh Castle Rockers were crowned the first-ever champions of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), defeating Belfast Wolves by seven wickets in a thrilling final in Dublin.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by European T20 Premier League (ETPL) (@etplofficial) View this post on Instagram A post shared by European T20 Premier League (ETPL) (@etplofficial) Edinburgh won the toss and captain Mitchell Santner elected to bowl, backing his attack to restrict the Wolves before pursuing the target. The decision brought early reward when Trent Boult dismissed Paul Stirling for eight, caught by Jack Jarvis, leaving Belfast needing to rebuild. He explained that although he had been playing well throughout the tournament without converting his starts into a big score, he had set himself the task of being “the guy staying on till the back end. The approach paid off in the biggest match of the season. “Be the guy at the end. Take your time.
Andries Gous stood at the heart of the triumph, guiding Edinburgh home with an unbeaten 90 as the Castle Rockers chased down 151 with eight balls to spare.
Make sure that you focus,” he said, describing the small mental adjustments that helped him deliver when it mattered most.
Tim Tector took up that responsibility with authority. He kept the scoreboard moving while wickets fell around him, providing the backbone of the Wolves’ total and testing Edinburgh’s bowlers throughout the innings. But JJ Smuts broke the stand by dismissing Conway, caught by Gareth Delany. Boult’s two wickets and economical four-over spell helped keep the total within reach, while Watt and Smuts also made important breakthroughs. Edinburgh’s reply began with intent. Gous, however, remained in control. McMullen was caught and bowled by Gavin Hoey, but the target was close enough for Edinburgh’s captain to finish the job. Gous’ assured innings proved the defining answer to Tector’s challenge, carrying the Rockers across the line and into ETPL history. Nice to be able to contribute to a winning cause.”
The Belfast batter played a composed, determined innings, scoring 84 from 62 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. Devon Conway contributed 29 from 24 balls, sharing a partnership with Tector that helped Belfast recover from Stirling’s early departure. Mark Watt then removed Glenn Maxwell for three, and Boult returned to dismiss Lorcan Tucker for six, leaving Belfast under pressure at 105 for four. Tector continued to fight, with Harry Manenti adding an unbeaten 16 from 14 deliveries. Tom Curran claimed Tector’s wicket from the final ball of the innings, as Belfast finished on 150 for five. Ross Adair struck 23 from 14 balls, including two fours and two sixes, before Mark Adair had him caught behind by Tucker. Smuts made 15, but Matthew Humphreys removed him at the end of the tenth over, leaving Edinburgh at 79 for two. His unbeaten 90 came from 61 deliveries, featuring eight fours and four sixes. He balanced patience with timely aggression, anchoring the chase as Brandon McMullen added 17 from 12 balls. Mitchell Santner joined Gous and remained unbeaten as Edinburgh reached 151 for three in 18.4 overs.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by European T20 Premier League (ETPL) (@etplofficial) Reflecting on his match-winning contribution, Gous said, “It’s always nice winning finals.
Edinburgh head coach Trevor Bayliss praised the way the squad came together over the course of the competition. He also noted that several teams were closely matched and that Edinburgh had needed to make small adjustments after difficult results.
“Fantastic tournament,” he said, highlighting how a different group of players had “gelled really well” and how their performances reflected that unity.
Bayliss acknowledged the quality of the local talent, explaining that while he had known only a few of their names before the tournament, he had been impressed by the players he encountered.
