Cricket: All well at Grange for title fight

On August 28 last year the men from Stockbridge lifted the top-flight title with a thumping ten-wicket win away to Forfarshire to give them their sixth championship of this century.

However, since that day in Broughty Ferry not only has the league format changed - there are now two expanded divisions in the SNCL rather than the previous three - but the make-up of the Grange side has changed too.

The most high-profile departure of the winter was of Scotland wicketkeeper Simon Smith to Capital rivals Heriot's, while experienced campaigners Cameron Coles and Andy Wilson can no longer be called upon and Iain Worth is taking a break from the sport.

And with dangerous opening batsmen Oli Hairs set to miss most of the first half of the season due to York University and Scotland commitments, it will take some going this summer for Grange to retain the trophy in the 16-team league.

Patel is optimistic that the players coming into the club and into the first XI can step up to the mark though and he has high hopes for the likes of spinner Andrew Brock and wicketkeeper Neil Wickramasinghe who have arrived from SMRH and Edinburgh University respectively.

And the big bonus for Patel and Co is that New Zealander Warren McSkimming is back at the club as pro. He scored 580 league runs and took 34 league wickets during his previous spell with the club in 2008 and will be a steadying influence as a new era is ushered in.

Patel said: "I am looking forward to the season getting underway and seeing how the younger players grasp their opportunities to play first-team cricket.

"Yes we have lost some experienced guys, but we still have a good core to the team and having Warren back really is great so hopefully the newer players can learn from us all and enjoy testing themselves."

Watsonians finished second last season behind Grange and will be looking to go one step better this time around under the leadership of former Scotland captain Craig Wright.

They start their 2011 campaign tomorrow away to Ayr and may have new recruits Tony McKenna and Fraser Boyd involved.

Bowler McKenna impressed last summer for West Lothian, taking 30 wickets, while young wicketkeeper Boyd has moved across the city from Carlton.

Fraser Watts and his Carlton side open their campaign at home to Stoneywood-Dyce with Scotland cap Ross Lyons not involved after he decided to move to East Kilbride.

Nevertheless the Grange Loan side have brought in overseas amateur Jason Trembath from New Zealand and all-rounder Sean Olivier from RH Corstorphine.

Watts said: "We have been working hard in pre-season and the guys are raring to go tomorrow. We have a lot of good youngsters at the club who will also be pushing hard for first team places in the coming weeks."

Heriot's, who finished second in the First Division in 2010, return to the top flight having strengthened considerably.

Wicketkeeper Smith was a big coup, while pro Adam Lockhart-Krause has returned and Keith Morton and Peter Ross have arrived at Goldenacre from Penicuik and Kinross respectively.

They start away to Forfarshire tomorrow.

Under the new league format the top-flight clubs will play each other once before splitting into groups of four to determine final placings over the last few weeks.

In the Championship SMRH start away at Ferguslie, West Lothian are at Freuchie, Edinburgh Accies travel to Renfrew and Penicuik are away to Poloc. RH Corstorphine host East Kilbride.