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Roelof van der Merwe

Roelof van der Merwe
Roelof van der Merwe Image: Wikimedia Commons. Ytfc23 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Roelof Erasmus van der Merwe (born 31 December 1984) is a Dutch-South African professional cricketer who has represented both South Africa and the Netherlands at the international level, making him one of the relatively few players to have played for more than one national team. An all-rounder, he is a left-arm orthodox spinner and a right-handed middle-order batsman.

Personal information

Full name Roelof Erasmus van der Merwe
Born 31 December 1984, Johannesburg, South Africa
Nationality South African; Dutch (from June 2015)
Batting Right-handed
Bowling Slow left-arm orthodox
Role All-rounder
National sides South Africa (2009–2011); Netherlands (from 2015)

Background

Van der Merwe was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He came through the South African domestic system, beginning his senior career with Northerns in the 2006–07 season, where he made both his first-class and List A debuts. The following season he moved into South African franchise cricket with the Titans.

Career

South Africa

Van der Merwe played limited-overs cricket for South Africa between 2009 and 2011, appearing in 13 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 13 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) during this period.

Move to the Netherlands

He obtained a Dutch passport in June 2015 and was subsequently selected in the Netherlands squad for the 2015 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, beginning his international career with the Dutch side.

Timeline

  • 31 December 1984 – Born in Johannesburg.
  • 2006–07 – First-class and List A debuts for Northerns.
  • 2007–08 – Joined Titans in South African franchise cricket.
  • 2009–2011 – Played 13 ODIs and 13 T20Is for South Africa.
  • June 2015 – Gained Dutch citizenship.
  • 2015 – Selected for the Netherlands at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.

Significance

Van der Merwe is notable for being among the small group of cricketers to have represented two different nations in international cricket. His left-arm spin and lower-middle-order hitting have made him a useful limited-overs all-rounder across both his international careers and his various domestic and franchise commitments.

References