Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
19 | 9 Runs | DBG: 192/5 | RR: 10.10

  • George Dockrell7 (4b)
  • James Vince106 (61b)
  • Anrich Nortje4-0-54-0
  • David Wiese4-0-32-2

And that's all from our coverage of the final group-stage game. It's goodbye from me, Rvel Zahid, on behalf of Harshith Gowda

Harry Tector, Dublin Guardians Captain: Yeah, delighted. Delighted. It was a real team effort. I thought the way the guys hung in there with the ball in some really challenging conditions was fantastic. To limit them to a score of 180 was, I think, pretty good on that surface, particularly with the dimensions and the wind, and then the way Vince came out and batted was obviously exceptional, and we managed to chip in around him, and just delighted to finish the season on a high. I think we've done really well this season of staying together as a group. You know, the results haven't gone our way, which is a bit disappointing, but we've managed to keep a really good core amongst the squad, and we've had a good time. Obviously disappointed with results this season, but really happy with the way the team has stuck together, and thankfully we were able to bring that out today. Yeah, I think we definitely spoke about trying to use the wind and the dimensions to our advantage. I think the way Vince played that sixth over was just fantastic. It was world-class batting, and I think that over pretty much set us up to go on and chase the total just over eight an over, and we managed to elongate that period up until the tenth or eleventh, and then everyone who came in was able to support Vincy. But yeah, I think we won it particularly in that sixth over. Yeah, I think you've hit the nail on the head there. I think you want the group to stay together because this is going to be a tournament that's going to go over years, and hopefully we can keep the core of the group together, which is really important. And I think, like I said previously, I think we've done that really well, and we've kept having a good time on and off the pitch, which is really important. And I think that sort of gives a lot of belief to the group, that we actually weren't far off this comp, so yeah, nice way to finish. I think just the exposure to a higher level of cricket for so many games is just brilliant for all the local players, really Irish, Scottish, Dutch, and the associate players. To be able to mix with some of the best players in the world is fantastic, see how they go about their business, and as I was saying this morning to one of the lads, you don't need to ask questions because you can just watch how they go about their business. And personally, watching James Vince do that today, you can learn an awful lot. So yeah, it's been brilliant from that aspect, and that may continue

Faf du Plessis, Rotterdam Dockers Captain: You know, one guy, a classy player, James Vince. I think he scored 85 percent of the runs of the innings. So sometimes you just got to tip your hat to a guy that played a world-class knock. I'm very proud of the way the guys went about their business. I think the top team and the team that came fourth is on the same wins. So, you know, competition is very small margins, but throughout the competition, six out of ten games win. Net run rate obviously is the thing that just got us towards the end. But if you take the rest of their performance today, if you take James Vince out of there, there's not much there. No, it's a difficult one. I don't think so. I felt we were put under pressure early doors, losing quite a few wickets, consolidated nicely, and walking off halfway, I felt that was a very good score with the extra bit of bounce there with the new ball. So you just got to, you can look at many things in the match and go, what about that? What about that? But faultless innings from James Vince, the way that he played and single-handedly won them the game. Yeah, it's a rubber green sometimes. Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don't. There was a few of those lucky runs today, but as I said, even with that, the highlight of the day will be that innings. I mean obviously (Klaasen) played a great knock as well. He had to absorb the pressure there with me early doors when we were in a little bit of trouble, and then he could really express himself to the back end. But just the way that they went through the powerplay, I never really felt like we could build pressure because they kept scoring, and he was crucial in that. So I knew if we can get him out, we've got a good chance of winning the game. If we don't, and as he did at the end, they'll get across the line. Yeah, great comp. I think personally and for the team, like I said, very proud of the way the guys went about their business. You know, you look at the overseas players and coming across and how they put their hand up under fire. I think 19 wickets, David Wiese maybe also 18 wickets, Heinrich Klaasen. So the guys that come over with pedigree and are your big-name players, how well they performed through the competition. And then your trusted advisors, the guys like Roelof van der Merwe and the way that he went about his business. So probably if I really firm in us and making sure there was an area that we could feel like we could improve is maybe one more batter just raise his hand throughout the competition. But that's the great thing I find with year one in competition like this, a lot of learning happens from year one to year two to year three to year four because guys don't get the opportunity to play against the high quality all the time. So it's great learning for the guys. But all in all, very happy with the way that we went this. I mean, it's a tough rule, the three guys qualifying, but I think it's a good rule. I think it puts you there and thereabouts for playing good cricket. We played very good cricket and we still didn't make it because of net run rate. But you know net run rate is going to be a thing towards the end of the comp. So you've got that one game, I think we lost by 40 runs early on in the comp, is the game that at the end came back to bite us

Guardians stitch together a complete performance and have stunned Faf du Plessis, who will be disappointed not to have got his team to the final! They were the favourites for this game, but James Vince had other ideas, and he regaled us with a gem of a hundred, the first of this league, and he remained unbeaten till the end. Superb and silky century! He got some help from Tector and Sanjay as well. Dockers couldn't make enough inroads and were put under pressure in the powerplay. It was simply not their day. A couple of tough chances were put down as well and they couldn't recover at all. A bitter pill to swallow as they miss out owing to net-run-rate and they had it within their reach and yet will be packing their bags alongside Guardians.

18.6
6
Nortje to Dockrell, SIX, He's absolutely nailed it! Makes room by backing away and cleared the ropes over backward point! Made a difficult shot look so easy! Hurled in short towards him but he was equal to the task as Dublin Guardians finish their campaign on a high and win this contest at a canter!
18.5
0
Nortje to Dockrell, no run, Hurls down a snorter of a bouncer and cramps him for room, tries to hook and doesn't connect, not a wide, one short one signalled, cannot bowl again
18.4
0
Nortje to Dockrell, no run, Charging in, shorter and slanted into the pads, didn't connect on the pull and gets hit low on the thigh pad
18.3
1
Nortje to Vince, 1 run, Pitched up and keeps it gun-barrel straight, squeezes it out to point for a single
18.2
1
Nortje to Dockrell, 1 run, Follows his shimmy to the leg-side with a fierce short one at him, fends it to cover and settles for a run
18.1
1
Nortje to Vince, 1 run, Over the wicket, lands it on a fuller length at middle, exposes his stumps and smokes it away to sweeper cover

END OF OVER:
18 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | DBG: 183/5 (6 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 10.16, RRR: 3.00)

  • James Vince104 (59b)
  • David Wiese4-0-32-2
  • Shubham Ranjane4-0-28-2
17.6
W
Wiese to Croes, OUT, Sharp lifting delivery around the line off, takes it on and tries to bludgeon it over deep midwicket, trying to put a lid on this game with a fancy heroic shot off the backfoot and it got big on him, couldn't control it well and perishes as van Beek takes a simple catch at midwicket

NRJ Croes c van Beek b Wiese 6 (4b 1x4 0x6) SR: 150

17.5
1
Wiese to Vince, 1 run, Short of a length and given some width, clattered to sweeper cover
17.4
2
Wiese to Vince, 2 runs, Landed short and wide, drags it across the line towards deep square; throws was a bit slow and off and they pounces on the opportunity to add one more to the board
17.3
0
Wiese to Vince, no run, Back of a length and wobbling across off, beaten on the outside edge
17.2
2
Wiese to Vince, 2 runs, Take a bow! It has been a pitch-perfect, well-paced, crafted knock. After Sanjay's wicket, he has taken the lead role again. He is always a pure treat to watch with his clean swings of the bat, such a clear batter in terms of thinking and shot selection. It was a full-length ball angled in at off as he shuffled across and calmly flicks it to midwicket and brings up a century. The first of the tournament!
17.1
2
Wiese to Vince, 2 runs, Just one win in this competition for Dublin and they are on their way to chase down the highest total in this season. Over the wicket, bit full and wide of off, slapped away to deep extra cover, Vince on 99!

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs | DBG: 176/4 (13 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 10.35, RRR: 4.33)

  • James Vince97 (54b)
  • Noah Croes6 (3b)
  • Shubham Ranjane4-0-28-2
  • Anrich Nortje3-0-45-0
16.6
1
Ranjane to Vince, 1 run, On 97 as he taps it the full ball outside off to deep cover-point. Not going for the glory shot, fully concentrated in scoring a hundred, not taking any undue risks
16.5
1
Ranjane to Croes, 1 run, On a yorker length at middle, no pace to work it, drags it to long-off region for a single
16.4
4
Ranjane to Croes, FOUR, Exquisitely done! Pitched touch short and outside off, carves it away into the gap at deep third, into the gap and placed it with accuracy, that's poetry in motion!
16.3
1
Ranjane to Vince, 1 run, Dealing in singles at the moment; he doesn't want to botch this chance of scoring a hundred. Low and dipping at shin, glances to deep fine
16.2
1
Ranjane to Croes, 1 run, Gets Vince back on strike. Less than run-a-ball required, should be walk in the park as Croes paddles the full ball at middle to deep fine
16.1
1
Ranjane to Vince, 1 run, Over the wicket, bowls it full and outside off, caresses it out to deep point for a single, moves to 95

END OF OVER:
16 | 13 Runs | DBG: 167/4 (22 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 10.43, RRR: 5.50)

  • James Vince94 (51b)
  • Noah Croes0 (0b)
  • Anrich Nortje3-0-45-0
  • Shubham Ranjane3-0-19-2
15.6
1
Nortje to Vince, 1 run, Hits a full-length and angles in at middle, shovels it down the ground to long-on and he'll keep the strike as he nears an elusive milstone. Will he be the first centurion at ETPL?
15.6
1w
Nortje to Vince, 1 wide, Pace-off and bowls it around length and away from the tramline on off, wasted effort
15.5
0
Nortje to Vince, no run, Gets it right. Length ball and just inside the marker on off, doesn't connect on the spank
15.5
1w
Nortje to Vince, 1 wide, Pace-off and bowls it short and wide, away from the guideline on off, will have to reload
15.4
4
Nortje to Vince, FOUR, Yorker just outside off, gets a thick outside edge and it has got plenty of legs to crash onto the advertising hoardings. Everything he touches turns into gold

Guardians 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1JM VinceDJ Willey
2nd100JM VinceHT Tector
3rd10JM VinceBF Calitz
4th43JM VinceSP Krishnamurthi
5th29JM VinceNRJ Croes
6th9JM VinceGH Dockrell