Defending champions Pirates made the perfect start to the 2025 Toyota Disability Premier League, winning both of their games on the opening weekend of the competition.
Going into the fourth year of the DPL, no side has yet defended their title but Anthony Clapham’s side lay down a marker in Loughborough with victories over the Black Cats and the Tridents.
The heavyweight clash of the day was a repeat of last year’s final, and having posted 161-6 from their 20 overs the Tridents may have felt they were in with a chance of exacting revenge on the Pirates.
Monty McKenzie and England Men’s Learning Disability captain Chris Edwards saved their team from 68-4, Pirates captain Clapham impressing with 3-20.
But the manner in which the Pirates chased it down demonstrated their potential title-defending credentials, Will Flynn hitting three sixes in a 28-ball 47 to take his team to the win in the penultimate over of their chase.
The Tridents had started the day with a big victory over the Hawks, who themselves won their second game over the Black Cats – consigning them to a winless day.
The four teams will recommence battle next Sunday in Worcestershire, with two of the four games live-streamed on www.ecb.co.uk.
Pirates’ winning captain Anthony Clapham said: "We’re delighted to get the competition off and running with two wins from two. We want to be the first team to defend the title but there’s a long way to go yet.
"All four teams have some really strong players and although the Black Cats didn’t win a game they do have a superb seam attack. The Hawks were missing three key players and they also managed to get a win, so they will go into this Sunday full of confidence and they play us first up.
"Despite winning both our games, we didn’t perform to where we know we can although we had some excellent phases, which really excites me ahead of Sunday's fixtures."