Maxwell helps Belfast Wolves to opening ETPL win

European T20 Premier League

Belfast Wolves 184-7 (20 overs): Maxwell 59, Chapman 54; Wood 3-43

Dublin Guardians 132-9 (20 overs): Dockrell 35, Wood 25; Humphreys 2-23

Belfast Wolves win by 52 runs

Full scorecard (external), external

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell starred as Belfast Wolves opened their European Twenty20 Premier League bid with a 52-run victory over the Dublin Guardians in the Netherlands.

After a rain delay in Voorberg, the Guardians won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Maxwell, who co-owns and captains the Wolves, hit 59 off 38 balls, while Mark Chapman contributed 54 as the Belfast franchise set a target of 184-7.

Netherlands international Fred Klaassen and the Ireland duo of Matthew Humphreys and Mark Adair each took two wickets as the Wolves restricted the Guardians to 132-9 for a comfortable opening victory.

The inaugural European Premier League is a new competition, with the Wolves and Guardians joining teams from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

The sides will play each other twice, with the first set of matches in the Netherlands before the second round of fixtures and the play-off matches at Malahide in Dublin.

The Guardians will look to bounce back against Glasgow Cosmic on Saturday, while the Wolves will take on the Rotterdam Dockers in their second fixture.