Rain washed out hopes of a Toyota Disability Premier League final day in the sun at Cardiff, but the outlook for Pirates and Tridents skippers Anthony Clapham and Liam O鈥橞rien remained positive ahead of tomorrow鈥檚 revised showdown.
Shrugging off the disappointment of a final that was abandoned before the toss, the erstwhile England Physical Disability team-mates spoke to their respective teams, packed their bags, and headed home to redraw battle plans for the reserve day at Loughborough鈥檚 National Cricket Performance Centre.
The glare of the Sky Sports cameras 鈥� a final fixture these past four years 鈥� will be absent when the first delivery goes down in the East Midlands at 2pm, but the focus for those involved will be no less intense.
As Clapham explained, 2025 has been another step change for a tournament now in its fourth iteration and expanding year-on-year as the pinnacle of the domestic disability game.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been superb 鈥� the grounds have been very different, offering different challenges,鈥� he said of the group-stage games.
鈥淎nd the kits, with Toyota coming on board as sponsors this year, have been great, too. Obviously, it鈥檚 a real shame we haven鈥檛 been able to play (at Cardiff), but it鈥檚 been a brilliantly organised tournament, and another amazing summer of disability cricket 鈥� a tour for the PD lads at the start of the year, a mixed-disability series with India.鈥�
A relatively late recruit to the disability game 鈥� learning of it through watching England鈥檚 Hugo Hammond as a contestant on Love Island 鈥� Clapham, who plays his club cricket for Wokingham CC 鈥� has watched the landscape evolve quickly since his involvement with the first DPL.
鈥淓very summer just gets better and better, which is really exciting,鈥� he added. 鈥淗opefully Pirates can continue our unbeaten record and win on Sunday 鈥� and we鈥檒l see what the winter holds 鈥� a few of our squad will hopefully be on the plane to India with England in January.鈥�
Clapham鈥檚 views were echoed by Liam O鈥橞rien, whose Tridents side had the weather to thank for their place at Cardiff. It was O鈥橞rien鈥檚 six that won them a critical group-stage victory over Hawks, sneaking past their DLS target before rain intervened.
鈥淟ike Anthony, I鈥檓 really disappointed that rain got in the way, but we have a great chance to replay the fixture on Sunday 鈥� and hopefully this year, we can come out on top,鈥� he said.
Combative all-rounder O鈥橞rien 鈥� England鈥檚 player of the series in this summer鈥檚 thumping win over India, shining with bat and ball 鈥� is another huge advocate of the Toyota DPL鈥檚 potential reach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 helped shine a real spotlight on the disability game,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd, in turn, that makes it attractive for those out there who want to be part of it in the future. We鈥檙e seeing young players starting to emerge through the county set-ups as more word gets round.鈥�
After all the anticipation of Wednesday it will be fascinating to see who holds their nerve this weekend.
There鈥檚 competition history at stake, too. Both teams 鈥� Tridents inaugural winners in 2022, and Pirates defending champions and unbeaten since losing 2023鈥檚 final 鈥� are striving to become the first to win the trophy twice.
And, if the unthinkable should happen on Sunday, and a bowl out is required to separate them 鈥� there鈥檚 no better place for it than England鈥檚 indoor nets.
鈥淭hat could be interesting,鈥� Clapham laughs. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be a test for the seamers to hit those stumps 鈥� there鈥檚 some good bounce in there.鈥�
You can follow Sunday鈥檚 action from 2pm via .