Cricket: Hairs running helps hand Premier title to Grange

In 2008 when Grange last won the title the left-handed batsman was just making the breakthrough into the first team, but this season he has been a mainstay of the side.

And it was fitting that he and captain Sanjay Patel were the men at the crease when victory against Forfarshire was completed on Saturday. The comprehensive ten-wicket win gave Grange their sixth top flight trophy in 11 seasons with Watsonians finishing second after a good season for cricket in the Capital.

Patel said: "It is a great feeling to win the league and I feel over the whole season we deserved to come out on top.

"It has been a real team effort over the last few months, but Oli has been absolutely superb. The way he goes in at the top of the innings and gets us off to quick starts has played a big part in our success and I am really pleased for him that he has made the breakthrough with Scotland this season.

"He has a big future in the game, while for the club his talent is great because it helps drive other young players, such as Henry Edwards who played on Saturday, on to produce consistent performances." And other young players may have to step up to first team duties more regularly in 2011 with Patel hinting that some of the old guard may decide to call it a day after this latest trophy.

"There are a few old bones in the changing room and I think we will see a newish looking Grange team next summer. However, all of the older guys have a real desire to win and compete so that may spur people on to continue, we will just have to see about that over the winter."

As well as Hairs' runs, which made him the highest-scoring home grown player in the top flight, Patel himself finished with 517 runs and he has marshalled the team superbly this season.

On the bowling front, experienced spinner Andy Wilson ended up as the club's top wicket taker with 25 victims, while the ever-reliable Simon Smith finished up with 16 catches and ten stumpings from wicketkeeper. Patel also took time to praise the job that pro Roy Adams has done. The 21-year-old South African only arrived at the club midway through the season, but took 16 wickets in seven matches opening the bowling.

"It is always hard for someone to come into a new club and a new culture midway through a season, but Roy has worked hard on his bowling while he has been with us and he gave us some stability in our bowling attack."

On Saturday Grange were on top form, bowling Forfarshire out for 90 at Forthill with Adams setting the tone by getting former Scotland captain Ryan Watson caught behind off the second ball of the match.

He finished up with two wickets, while fellow seamer Stuart Davidson also notched two and spinners Gregor Maiden and Wilson got in on the act. Indeed Wilson cleaned up the tail to finish with 4-4 and at that stage they had one hand already on the trophy. That became two hands not long after when Hairs hit his runs in quick time and was well supported by his skipper with 27 not out as they sewed up the championship.

Watsonians had needed Grange to lose and themselves to win at Dunfermline Knights to have any chance of their first Premier Division title.

It was not to be though and indeed they lost their match at McKane Park after being bowled out for 124.

The eight-wicket loss was a disappointing end to the campaign for Steve Paige's men, but they will look back on a positive season and will aim to strengthen ahead of 2011.

'Sonian Stuart Chalmers ended up as the Premier Division's top wicket taker with 34 scalps following his move from Grange last winter, while pro Tim Weston ended up as the club's top runs scorer with 596 runs.