The decision to push the start of this season’s Eastern Cricket Premiership back a week until Saturday, 4 May, due to the recent inclement weather, has afforded a longer settling in period for new players at various clubs.
And few have been busier over the winter than defending champions and Scottish Grand Final winners, Grange.
Not only have they recruited new sponsors, more of which later, but also a string of recruits one of whom, Jamie Crawley, has already made a mark by hitting 119 for Scottish Saltires in a win over the MCC at Lord’s last month.
Crawley, one imagines, will be champing at the bit to get into league action for the club his internationalist dad, Steve, served well when the curtain goes up for Grange at Watsonians.
Watching on as Jamie compiled his Lord’s century were his new club-mates – Finlay McCreath, Jack Jarvis and Jasper Davidson. a trio of all rounders.
Davidson, a Scotland under-19 cap in 2020, joined this season after learning much of his cricket in South Africa and having also played for Stirling County.
From further afield comes batter Liam Smith, an Australian who has represented Queensland at age group level. He is also a Cricket Australia level 2 coach.
Captaining Grange men will be Angus Brown while Catherine Edwards, a Scotland cap, takes the helm of the women’s team who have recruited Scotland star Ellen Watson (pictured above).
Sponsoring Grange this season will be Cold Town Beer and Murray Capital whose names will appear on the men’s and women’s kit with Rathbones sponsoring the Grange junior team.
Evergreen sports journalist. Previously published in many publications around the world. Send me your local sports stories. billlothian1008@gmail.com
