Grange dominate at Forthill for sixth title of decade

THEY won the inaugural playing of the SNCL premier division in 2000 and Grange last night confirmed themselves as the undisputed team of the decade by lifting the title for the sixth and final time.

Victory over Forfarshire at Forthill was enough to stave off the threat of Watsonians who, in the event, blew their chances against Dunfermline Knights at McKane Park.

Grange dominated from start to finish in what was a disappointingly one-sided affair against a Forfarshire side who have had their moments during a first season back in the top flight.

The visitors may have been wary of a side skippered by the still explosive Ryan Watson and containing emerging talents such as National Academy duo Aman Bailwal and Craig Wallace.

If they were it did not show.

Instead, the new champions dismissed their hosts with the minimum of fuss before cruising to a ten-wicket win in just 11.1 overs.

They perhaps had the rub of the green when the Forfarshire innings was interrupted for an hour due to heavy rain.

When they returned to action, the hosts slumped from 64-4 to 90 all out on a track that had been livened up by the moisture.

However, the Forthill team were up against it from the moment Watson was caught behind by Simon Smith off South African pace bowler Roy Adams for a duck after just three deliveries of the innings.

Wallace also went cheaply, offering Smith a second catch off the bowling of Stuart Davidson as Grange took the initiative.

There was a bit of middle order resistance from Bailwal and Umair Mohammed who kept the visiting bowlers at bay.

Mohammed contributed 20 while Bailwal demonstrated patience and technique in compiling a 41-ball 27 including four boundaries.

However, the interruption to the innings and the introduction into the attack of Andy Wilson hastened the end for the hosts.

Wilson returned the remarkable figures of 4-4 from seven overs while Gregor Maiden chipped in with 2-19.

Set a revised target of 90 from 41 overs, Oli Hairs led the Grange run-chase with an innings that could just seal his place in the Saltires side to face Durham today.

The 19 year-old, who already boasts seven centuries this season, might well have notched another had the target been a little more demanding.

Instead he treated travelling supporters to a cameo demonstration of his shot-making prowess.

With Patel in the supporting role, Hairs raced to a remarkable 56no from only 36 deliveries with nine boundaries and one straight six.

Nor was Patel too much of a slouch, the skipper stroking 27no from 31 balls as the most emphatic of wins was sealed.

A delighted Patel said: "We set out to enjoy ourselves and to avoid tensing up.

"Most of us are, after all, amateur cricketers and we play the game for pleasure."We got a break a few weeks ago when Watsonians also lost on the day that Clydesdale beat us but you will always get a bit of ebb and flow over eighteen games.

"I think over the course of the season we have proved ourselves to be the best team and the boys will savour this tonight.".