Scorecard
Edinburgh Castle Rockers chased down Belfast Wolves’ 150 for five with eight balls remaining to secure a seven-wicket victory in the European T20 Premier League final at Malahide Cricket Ground on Sunday, September 20. Andries Gous anchored the chase with an unbeaten 90 from 61 balls, guiding Edinburgh to 151 for three in 18.4 overs.

After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Edinburgh restricted Belfast to 150 for five from their 20 overs. Tom Tector top-scored for Belfast with 84 from 62 balls, striking nine fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 135.48.
Andries Gous scored an unbeaten 90 from 61 balls as Edinburgh Castle Rockers chased 151 to beat Belfast Wolves by seven wickets in the European T20 Premier League final. File photo by Shiek Mohamed

Belfast made a slow start after Paul Stirling was dismissed for eight in the third over, caught by Jarvis off Trent Boult. Tector and Devon Conway then rebuilt the innings with a 63-run partnership from 51 balls. Conway made 29 from 24 deliveries, including two fours and a six, before he was caught by Delany off Jon Smuts.

Tector continued to hold the innings together through the middle overs, adding 14 with Glenn Maxwell and 10 with Lorcan Tucker. Maxwell made three before falling to Mark Watt, while Tucker was dismissed for six, caught by Smuts off Boult.

Tector's 84 ended with the final ball of the innings when he was bowled by Tom Curran. Harry Manenti remained unbeaten on 16 from 14 balls, including a four, and shared a 45-run fifth-wicket partnership with Tector from 32 deliveries.

Boult was Edinburgh's leading bowler, finishing with two for 21 from four overs, including 13 dot balls. Curran and Watt took one wicket each, while Smuts also claimed a wicket.

Edinburgh's chase began aggressively, with Graham Adair scoring 23 from 14 balls with two fours and two sixes. His dismissal brought Gous to the crease, and he steadily took control of the pursuit.

Gous added 53 for the second wicket with Smuts, who made 15 from 23 balls before being bowled by Matthew Humphreys. Gous then combined with Brandon McMullen for the decisive partnership of the chase, putting on 60 from 46 balls.

McMullen struck three fours in his 17 from 12 balls before he was caught and bowled by Graham Hoey in the 18th over. By then, Edinburgh required only 12 runs from 14 deliveries.

Gous completed the chase alongside Mitchell Santner, who finished unbeaten on two from two balls. Gous's 90 came from 61 deliveries and included eight fours and four sixes, giving him a strike rate of 147.54.

Humphreys and Hoey claimed one wicket apiece for Belfast, while Michael Adair also took a wicket. Edinburgh's chase never lost control after Gous settled in, and the target was reached with 1.2 overs remaining.

The seven-wicket victory sees Edinburgh Castle Rockers finish the European T20 Premier League final on top, while Belfast Wolves' 150 for five was not enough to defend the total despite Tector's substantial contribution.