The Dublin Guardians will sign off their underwhelming European T20 Premier League campaign against the Rotterdam Dockers at Malahide tomorrow, expecting to finish last of the six franchise teams.

An eighth defeat in nine matches yesterday — a 59-run loss to the Amsterdam Flames — left Ravi Ashwin’s team two pints adrift of fifth-placed Glasgow Cosmic, and the Indian skipper unable to contain his disappointment.

“We weren’t good today,” Ashwin said. “We weren’t good with the new ball. We didn’t have the energy. I keep urging the boys. I keep urging them to keep high standards but it can be hard when you’re having a tournament like this.

“Results haven’t gone our way. We haven’t been good in some of these games. It’s important to understand the standards that we set is what will define them. We’ve been winning tosses but we haven’t been winning games.”

Indeed Ashwin won the toss against the Flames but couldn’t stop the Amsterdam outfit ratting along to 214-5 — the highest ETPL total to date — as Curtis Campher smashed 66 from 31 balls. Guardians managed only 155-9 in reply.

The inaugural ETPL may yet have an Irish winner, though, with the Belfast Wolves needing to beat table-topping Edinburgh Castle Rockers today to secure a spot in the play-offs.

But it’s fair to say the franchise format has not caught the imagination of the Dublin public despite the organisers giving away free tickets and merchandise — there were only 47 spectators inside the ground to witness the Guardians’ first over yesterday.

The Indian and Australian backers have invested heavily in the venture with next-to-no return in the first season.

Will the ETPL be back next year, possibly in a more family-friendly slot in July? That will probably depend on the depth of the owners’ pockets and whether a TV deal can be secured for the Indian market.

As for this first season? It’s being talked up as a well-run event with good governance. And we’re told the cheques have cleared.