Jonty Rhodes has taken a co-ownership stake in Rotterdam Dockers, a franchise in the six-team European T20 Premier League (ETPL). The competition opens its round-robin phase at The Hague on August 26, 2026, before moving to Malahide in Ireland for a second block of fixtures, with the final scheduled at the same venue on September 20.
Rhodes said the growth of associate nations at global events convinced him the moment was right to take a chance on this tournament. The ETPL is a platform for top level internationals to dip their toes into associate cricket, helping grow cricket in the upcoming European nations.
“We know the local talent pool might be small compared to places like India, South Africa or the UK but we have all seen what Ireland, Scotland and the Dutch have done at ICC events. There is some real talent here in Europe and by bringing the ETPL we are giving more exposure to top international players, international coaching staff and a lot of our focus is what we can do beyond the tournament itself. “The time is right. People love an underdog and all of these European nations are underdogs right now. “As a co-owner, it’s that grassroots development that excites me. We want to inspire and to have young players coming through. Of course in Europe football is number one, and there’s tennis and field hockey, but I grew up playing all of those as well as cricket and that’s what we want to show. Franchise cricket is a huge opportunity in these countries.” Rhodes said, as quoted by The Independent
Which other former internationals have invested in the ETPL?
Rhodes, who accumulated 297 caps across all formats for South Africa and earned a global reputation as the finest fielder of his era, is part of a broader ownership group drawn from the sport’s recent history. Steve Waugh and Matthew Hayden, both decorated Australia veterans, hold stakes in Amsterdam Flames and Glasgow Cosmic respectively. India’s Rahul Dravid is attached to Dublin Guardians, while Glenn Maxwell serves Amsterdam Flames as both a co-owner and the on-field captain at Belfast Wolves. New Zealand’s Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills are involved with Edinburgh Castle Rockers. The playing rosters carry similar weight, featuring Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Ravichandran Ashwin and England’s Liam Livingstone among the confirmed signings.
The Dockers have partnered with the Bat For A Chance charity, which supplies cricket equipment and funds development programmes for underserved communities. Rhodes described the social purpose as central to the franchise’s identity.
“We’re looking at socially uplifting people through cricket. It’s a lot more than just dropping off bags of kit. “ Cricket is a tight network and people work together, so this is a chance to build on what they’ve already done and make it go even further.” he added.
Will the friendly ownership group still compete hard to win the ETPL title?
Rhodes was direct about the competitive expectations he carries into the tournament, particularly regarding his rivalry with Amsterdam Flames co-owner Steve Waugh.
“I don’t want to be sharing a trophy with Steve Waugh, that’s for sure! “I’ve got a bone to pick with him – he was far too competitive when it came to winning trophies in the 90s. When it comes to the field of play, we know what it means to owners and players to win things. It’s not about putting on a new shirt in a different colour, or just turning up for an extended holiday in Europe, results are a big part of what we all do.” Rhodes added.
The comment underlines that despite the shared history among the ownership group, the ETPL is being approached as a genuine sporting contest rather than an exhibition. Rhodes made clear that Rotterdam Dockers will be competing to lift the trophy when the final is held at Malahide on September 20.
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