Malahide [Ireland], September 17 (ANI): Belfast Wolves kept their qualification hopes alive with a nine-run DLS victory over Edinburgh Castle Rockers in Match 29 of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) at Malahide on Thursday.
Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten 82 powered Belfast to 190 for four, before the Wolves restricted Edinburgh to 137 for six in their revised 15-over chase. With Amsterdam Flames and now Edinburgh Castle Rockers already qualified, Belfast must now wait on Rotterdam Dockers’ result: a Rotterdam win would send the Dockers through, while a defeat would see Belfast claim the remaining place, as per a press release.
Belfast’s innings was built around a commanding display from their captain. Maxwell struck an unbeaten 82 from just 40 deliveries, hitting eight fours and five sixes to provide the innings’ defining contribution. His aggressive approach helped the Wolves maintain a strong scoring rate and finish with 190 on the board.
Harry Manenti contributed 34 from 33 balls, while Ben Tucker added 17 from 15. David Miller provided the much-needed late acceleration with 38 from 19 deliveries, striking seven fours as Belfast pushed towards the 200 mark. Mark Chapman had retired hurt after making 12 from 11 balls.
Edinburgh’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Tom Curran taking two. Trent Boult and Jack Jarvis claimed one apiece, but Belfast’s late scoring ensured the Rockers faced a challenging chase.
The revised target for Edinburgh after the 11th over was 147 from 15 overs. Their innings began with early setbacks, as Ross Adair and JJ Smuts fell on low scores. Andries Gous made 34 from 29 balls, while Brandon McMullen and Laurie Evans contributed 13 and 15 respectively, but Edinburgh struggled to keep pace with the required rate.
Mitchell Santner added 23 from 13 deliveries to keep the chase moving, and Tom Curran provided a late burst of power. Curran smashed an unbeaten 30 from just seven balls, including four sixes and a four, while Gareth Delany finished unbeaten on five from two deliveries. Their late hitting lifted Edinburgh to 137 for six, nine runs short of the DLS target. But the score was more than enough for Edinburgh to clear the minimum runs required to qualify in the top 3 via NRR. Edinburgh and Amsterdam have claimed their spots and now we wait for the third team.
Matthew Humphreys played a key role in Belfast’s defence, taking two wickets for just nine runs from three overs, including a maiden. Chris Jordan also claimed two wickets, while Mark Adair and Maxwell took one each.
The victory keeps Belfast in contention, but their fate is no longer in their own hands. Amsterdam Flames have already qualified, leaving the final spot to be decided by Rotterdam’s remaining result. If Rotterdam win, they qualify and reach the final directly, and Belfast are eliminated. If Rotterdam lose, Belfast advance and Rotterdam miss out.
For Belfast, Maxwell’s unbeaten 82 and a disciplined bowling effort secured a vital win. Now, the Wolves must wait for Rotterdam’s result to discover whether their campaign continues. (ANI)
ETPL: Glenn Maxwell's fireworks power Belfast Wolves to win, keep final four hopes alive
