The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) is all set to usher in a new chapter for cricket in Europe when the inaugural season gets underway on August 26, bringing together established international stars and some of the continent’s brightest talent.
Speaking to ETPL, Amsterdam Flames wicketkeeper-batter Scott Edwards, Belfast Wolves co-owner and captain Glenn Maxwell, and Dublin Guardians captain and mentor Ravichandran Ashwin shared their thoughts on their new franchises, building the team up from scratch, and the opportunities the league presents.
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Scott Edwards, wicketkeeper-batter of Amsterdam Flames, spoke about joining the ETPL franchise. “It was a bit of a surprise. I was out having dinner with my partner when I got a call from the co-owners of Amsterdam Flames, Jamie Dwyer and Steve Waugh. They got straight to the point. They said they wanted me involved in the team and shared their vision for the franchise. I was super excited. The way they have structured the franchise is impressive, and I believe it’s going to be a successful one.
“I grew up watching Steve Waugh. He is a legend of the game. Jamie Dwyer is also an iconic figure in Australian hockey. So, it was great to have a chat with them about their plans. They were very well prepared and knew exactly what they wanted from the team and the players. That made my decision easy. I was pretty much signed up straight away. I am really looking forward to playing for the Amsterdam Flames in the ETPL,” said Edwards.
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Glenn Maxwell, co-owner and captain of the Belfast Wolves, opened up about the experience of building the team from scratch through the draft.
“Incredibly happy with how the draft went for the Belfast Wolves. It was a new experience for me to be involved that heavily, starting a team from scratch and going through the list management process. Building a squad from the ground up is not easy, but we had a clear plan. We wanted to put together a team that could compete from day one. The process of picking players, balancing the squad, and making sure we had cover in every department was a great learning experience. We are extremely happy with the way the draft went. We were able to get the picks we needed and the playing skills we needed to complete our list. We have good depth in both batting and bowling, which will be crucial in a long tournament. Overall, we feel we have built a strong and balanced side for the Wolves,” Maxwell said.
Ravichandran Ashwin, captain and mentor of Dublin Guardians, spoke about his bond with franchise owner Rahul Dravid and his vision for the team.
“Me and Rahul Dravid bhai have shared a great bond over the last five years. He has been the coach of India, and I learned a lot about leadership while playing under him. In fact, I captained him in a club championship final in Chennai about 13 years ago. Now, we will be working together again this time around for the Dublin Guardians. I think he also got to understand my game better over time and we share a very special rapport. We are building a close-knit team that believes in growth and improvement every single day. Our second connection is Irish cricket and the European circuit, which excites us a lot. We see huge potential there and want to be collaborative. We know there is a strong cricketing culture in Ireland, and we want to embrace it and contribute wherever we can. It was a bit unfortunate that the Irish players were picked early in the draft, otherwise we would have gone for a couple more. But we are very serious about making a difference and contributing to Irish cricket,” Ashwin said.
