Tridents held their nerve to lift the Toyota DPL 2025 trophy after a dramatic bowl-out victory over Pirates at Loughborough’s National Cricket Performance Centre.
Sunday’s rearranged final – already delayed after Wednesday’s washout in Cardiff – met with a similar fate, with steady rain from slate-grey East Midlands skies eventually putting paid to hopes of even a reduced-overs contest.
Instead, the drama was played out indoors, where Tridents emerged victorious from a bowl out.
Adnan Ghani and Chris Edwards hit the stumps in the bowl-out to seceure a 2-1 win as Liam O'Brien's Tridents became the first side to win the trophy twice.
Victory celebrations were understandably muted after an anti-climactic finish to a memorable campaign, one that has offered further growth and increased exposure for the disability game.
Defeat was particularly cruel on Pirates – defending champions and unbeaten in 11 outings dating back to 2023’s final.
With four straight wins this term, Anthony Clapham’s side were assured of a final place ahead of last weekend’s third and critical round-robin meetings.
In what was ultimately to prove a good omen, Tridents’ passage had been smoothed by the rain gods, DLS success in week two over Hawks leaving them in the box seat.
Both captains took a philosophical view of the outcome, in which five players had been picked to bowl one delivery each.
For Clapham, whose powerhouse batting line-up had posted formidable totals, it was still hard to take.
“People might liken it to a penalty shootout, which I understand to some extent, but that happens when both sides are unable to win,” he said.
“It’s tough to lose this way, especially having beaten every team in qualification.
“A bowl out is a lottery. And unfortunately, we didn’t hit the stumps enough – credit to the Tridents lads who did. We’ll be back again next year, we’ve got a settled side and hopefully we can retain as many of these boys as possible.”
Liam O’Brien – who could have won the bowl-out himself, but sent Tridents’ fourth delivery narrowly wide – felt his attack’s general wicket-to-wicket smarts were in their favour.
Adnan Ghani’s strike with their opening delivery, following Jordan Williams’ miss first up, had given them first blood.
Their lead was immediately restored by Chris Edwards after Henry Wainman’s solitary Pirates strike.
“It was hard picking a five, because we had about six or seven who we felt were almost guaranteed to hit – Chris is like a bowling machine,” said O’Brien.
“It’s nice for us to come through, and unlucky for Pirates. I think everyone would have liked their cricket to do the talking today, but I’m obviously happy to win, however we got over the line.
“We’ve been provided opportunities we never thought we would get [via the DPL]. Obviously, it would have been nice to have shown it off on a bigger screen today, but I’m just glad we won.”
Edwards’ critical strike with the ball earned him the Player of the Match award and a double whammy – he also picked up the Player of the Series gong for his ever-reliable showings with bat and ball.
Thoughts now turn for many of these players to the winter training camps ahead of selection for England’s mixed-disability series in India in the new year, where the hosts will be keen to avenge this summer’s 6-1 touring loss.