Belfast Wolves 'want to win this tournament' after maintaining unbeaten European T20 Premier League start
Belfast Wolves maintained their unbeaten start to the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) on Sunday after beating Amsterdam Flames by nine wickets (DLS) in a match which was hit by poor weather.
Reduced to five overs per team at The Hague, Australian superstar Steven Smith (20) helped Amsterdam post 56/2, but Belfast’s Paul Stirling (25*) starred in a successful chase, smashing three sixes from his 10 deliveries.
The Wolves won with seven balls to spare, putting the disappointment of Saturday’s clash against Rotterdam Dockers being washed out behind them.
It has been a dream start for the Wolves, who are captained by Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and handed a debut to destructive South African batter David Miller on Sunday.
The Wolves are shining in the inaugural ETPL and Maxwell is clear their intentions are to cement champion status at the first attempt.
"When you’re building a T20 list together, you have to make sure you have all bases covered,” Maxwell told the ETPL’s social media channels. “You go through and pick your overseas players, specially for the roles we need them to play in this side and to have the locals fit in around that and make sure they’re playing key roles within our side.
"That’s the most pleasing thing about how the draft went, our pre-signings and we’re really proud of the list we have been able to put together.
"We assembled this side not just to compete, we want to win this tournament.
"To win the first edition would be a massive achievement who is part of the franchise.
"T20 is a funny game, if you get some momentum at the start of a tournament it can be tough to stop, so hopefully we can start well.”
England’s Chris Jordan is also a key player in the Wolves side – he picked up the prize wicket of Smith on Sunday.
Having been part of an England squad that won the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and represented his country 95 times in cricket’s shortest format, Jordan knows what it takes to be successful.
The Wolves have put together a well-rounded bowling unit led by Jordan with Holywood’s Mark Adair, Belfast spinner Matthew Humphreys and Dutch international Fred Klaassen also crucial cogs.
Jordan is thrilled to be representing the Wolves and is impressed by the squad which has been compiled.
"It’s an exciting side,” said Jordan. “We have some brilliant performers at international level.
"I’ve played against Maxi on plenty of occasions, we have had some battles, so it’s nice to have him on my team.
"In the bowling department we have decent pace, good variation, left-arm angle, good spinners, so looking at the squad, it’s well-balanced.
"Now we have to translate that onto the pitch.”
On Saturday, the Wolves had scored 156/9 with Devon Conway (41) leading from the front before the match was halted due to rain just one over into Rotterdam’s chase.