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.
| 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) |
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.
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.
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.
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.