Grange duo hailed for inspiring team to title success

A clutch of Mazars Grange players have hailed Preston Mommsen and John Blain for the way they have led the club this summer in the wake of their first top-flight silverware since 2015

Nick Farrar bats for Mazars Grange during Saturday's win over Heriot's. Pic: Lisa Ferguson

In the last few years, Grange have always gone into the CSL Eastern Premier Division as favourites in April, but have not managed to get quite over the line.

This year, though, they looked almost unstoppable since from day one, losing just once in the league and winning 14 times over the last 17 weeks of action.

And all of that despite star signing Ryan Sidebottom, the ex-England seam bowler, never arriving due to extended work commitments down south. And the Grange players believe captain Mommsen and player/coach Blain have been the catalysts for this success. Spinner Andrew Brock said: “Having been captain myself in the past I know what a tricky job it can be, but Preston has done really well. He and Blainy work very well together and it means that training sessions are sharp and interesting while on game days we all have a laugh early in the day but, come the first ball, they make sure that we are focused right on the job in hand.”

Stuart Davidson added: “I have played cricket for a number of years and this season has been one of the most enjoyable. That has been down to the way that Preston and John go about things – they make sure the guys play cricket in the right way and then share a beer with the opposition afterwards.”

Neil McCallum feels that the duo’s ‘man management’ of the younger members of the first XI squad has been key.

“They made the teenagers who were coming in feel part of things from day one, gave them responsibility and managed them well – and it has certainly paid off,” he stated.