Middlesex were bowled out for 169 in reply to Lancashire’s 201, with du Plooy providing the main resistance as wickets fell around him.
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Lancashire’s 201 gave them a first innings lead of 32. In their second innings they reached 45 for 3 at stumps, leaving the match finely poised heading into the final day.
Du Plooy, who now captains Middlesex across formats, has built a career that spans South Africa, England, and international cricket with Hungary.
Born in 1995, he came through South Africa’s domestic structure and featured for Free State in the 2016 Africa T20 Cup. He later moved through the Northerns setup, where his consistency across formats stood out. In the 2018 and 2019 domestic seasons he topped the run charts for his province in multiple competitions, including the Africa T20 Cup, the CSA Provincial One Day Challenge, and the 3 Day Provincial Cup.
That form led to opportunities abroad. In 2019 he signed for Derbyshire as a Kolpak player, marking the start of his county career in England. He established himself quickly and was appointed Derbyshire captain in 2022.
He later featured for Welsh Fire in The Hundred before joining Middlesex on a long term contract. In July 2025 he was appointed Middlesex captain across all formats.
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In September 2023, du Plooy made his international debut for Hungary, scoring 93 runs and taking three wickets against Finland in a T10 match.
His 67 at Old Trafford reflected the role he has developed in county cricket, often providing structure in innings where conditions dictate patience and discipline.
Photo: Kate McShane/Getty Images
