Published: September 16, 2026 at 12:16 pm
Rotterdam Dockers held their nerve in a close finish of the ETPL match 27, defeating Edinburgh Castle Rockers by five runs at Malahide to move back into second place and strengthen their position in the race for the top three.
Batting first after winning the toss, Rotterdam posted 181 for six from their 20 overs, with captain Faf du Plessis and Heinrich Klaasen providing the foundation for a challenging total.
ETPL: Wolves devour Cosmic on way to a thumping 103-run win to move to second spot
Colin Munro gave the Dockers an aggressive start with 26 from 18 balls, but it was du Plessis who took control of the innings. The Rotterdam captain struck 54 from 35 deliveries, finding nine boundaries and setting the platform for a strong finish.
Klaasen then supplied the acceleration in the middle overs, smashing 47 from just 27 balls with five fours and two sixes. His partnership with du Plessis helped Rotterdam build momentum before Shubham Ranjane, David Wiese and Logan van Beek added valuable runs in the closing stages. Wiese’s unbeaten 17 from eight balls included a six and a four, while van Beek finished unbeaten on five as the Dockers reached 181 for six.
McMullen takes charge
Edinburgh’s chase began positively, with JJ Smuts making 25 from 21 balls before Brandon McMullen took charge. McMullen struck 47 from 30 deliveries, including five fours and three sixes, keeping the Rockers firmly in the contest.
Faf du Plessis struck 54 from 35 deliveries, finding nine boundaries and setting the platform for a strong finish
After McMullen’s dismissal, Laurie Evans added 14 and Mitchell Santner kept the chase alive with an unbeaten 39 from 31 balls. But with wickets falling at regular intervals, Edinburgh entered the final stages needing a major acceleration.
Curran accelerates
That acceleration came from Tom Curran. Tom Curran produced one of the most dramatic late cameos of the tournament, turning the match on its head with an unbeaten 33 from just 18 balls. With Edinburgh needing 33 from the final two overs, Curran launched David Wiese for consecutive sixes in the 19th over, helping the Rockers collect 17 from the over and reducing the equation to 16 from six balls.
https://x.com/etplofficial/status/2099994635682910523?s=20
Suddenly, what had looked like Rotterdam’s match was firmly in the balance. Logan van Beek was handed the responsibility of bowling the final over. Van Beek bowled wonderfully and conceded 10 from the over, yet crucially kept the damage below the 16 runs Edinburgh needed. The Dockers completed a five-run victory, with Santner finishing unbeaten on 39 and Curran on 33.
Ranjane does it for Rotterdam
Rotterdam’s bowling effort was led by Shubham Ranjane, who claimed three wickets for 22 runs and Jasper Davidson took 2 wickets, while Reece Topley and Tom Curran had earlier taken two wickets each for the Rockers and one each by Jack Jarvis and McMullen.
“It was about reading the pitch. I had Klaasen there. It was easy the way he was striking it. Was just about waiting for the ball (to hit). It is about confidence, and that boosts you. (Bowling) Kept it simple and I kept doing what the skipper asked of me. It was about believing in myself and keeping faith in myself. (Keeper standing up) When Klaasen is behind the stumps, you have confidence that you can bowl your variations, and it gives a lot of confidence (while bowling),” said Ranjane, was adjudged Player of the Match.
Mitchell Santner scored an unbeaten 39 but it was not enough for Edinburgh Castle Rockers to pull off a win
The victory carries significance beyond the five-run margin. Rotterdam move to 13 points and back into second place, level on points with Edinburgh but ahead on net run rate. With the top three positions carrying major significance in the race for the playoffs, the Dockers have given themselves valuable breathing room with the league stage approaching its decisive phase.
“Good game. When it goes to the wire, it is nice as a fan to watch. Nervy times there (with their batting). We have some experienced heads, so good to get across the line. (On the score) I said to the boys 185 felt par. Felt we were a little under (par). Maybe 10 runs short at the back end, but it was then about making sure we bowled well. Every pitch we have played on presents different challenges. There is no one way of playing, and it is about adapting (to each circumstance),” said Faf du Plessis, Rotterdam Dockers’ skipper.
https://x.com/etplofficial/status/2099988459008278798?s=20
For Edinburgh, Curran’s extraordinary late assault nearly produced an unforgettable recovery. For Rotterdam, however, the final over belonged to van Beek and the Dockers, who held their nerve when the pressure was at its highest.
“Probably a little bit over-par. Faf and Heinrich showed their class. Once we adjusted and tried to take them wider, we brought it back well. A bit tennis-ball, a bit stoppy (on the pitch). Anything full or short, you could get. As a bowling unit, we are learning, and so are the batters. Ranjane bowled really well – top of the stumps, making guys go square. Crunch time in the tournament. We have been playing good cricket, but still some things to improve,” said Mitchell Santner, Rockers’ skipper.
It was a victory built on du Plessis and Klaasen’s batting, Ranjane’s three wickets and, ultimately, Rotterdam’s ability to survive a remarkable late charge from Curran.
Brief scores: Rotterdam Dockers 181 for six in 20 overs (Colin Munro 26, Faf du Plessis 54, Heinrich Klaasen 47, David Wiese 17 not out; Reece Topley 2/36, Tom Curran 2/38) beat Edinburgh Castle Rockers 176 for five in 20 overs (JJ Smuts 25, Brandon McMullen 47, Mitchell Santner 39 not out, Tom Curran 33 not out; Shubham Ranjane 3/22, Jasper Davidson 2/42).
