Grange Cricket Club Photo © Scottish Cricket Ltd

Scottish Cricket is happy to announce that it has finalised a deal with The Grange Club, Edinburgh which will give Scottish Cricket a national `Home' for its first year in the National Cricket League (formerly NUL). The deal is initially for one year with a further option on both sides for a further two years.

The Grange Club was chosen as Scotland's first official `home' after almost a year of consultancy in association with sportscotland, and final pitch evaluations by the ECB.

The initial 8 clubs who noted interest in becoming Scotland's `Home of Cricket' where whittled down to 4 using 2 main criteria: Quality of Pitch and Quality/Potential of Facilities. The final four grounds (Ayr, Heriot's, Uddingston and The Grange) were then further assessed on the original criteria with the addition of a third factor; Event/ Marketing potential.

Scottish Cricket Director of Operations, Euan McIntyre, concluded:

"This has been an incredibly intense and time consuming process, but if Scotland are to compete at a `first-class' level it was essential that we were meticulous in our assessment of the possible venues. The Grange have been chosen primarily because of their superb playing facilities, but their city centre location and excellent transport links will also be vitally important in the Marketing and Branding of Scotland's premier summer sporting event"

All 9 home games of the 2003 Norwich Union League plus the C&G Trophy 3rd round match will be played at Raeburn place, home of the historic Edinburgh club, founded in 1832, meaning the likes of Somerset, Middlesex, Lancashire and Derbyshire will all be sampling the capital's hospitality.

On being chosen as the home of Scottish Cricket Gordon Tolland, Honorary Secretary of The Grange Club, said:

"We are very proud to be chosen as Scotland's home venue for the National League. This is the most exciting and important development in Scottish Cricket for many years and The Grange Club looks forward to playing an integral part in its success."

He added:

"The Grange has hosted major cricketing events at Raeburn Place for over 100 years and, as acknowledged at the 1999 World Cup, our ground offers a wicket and backdrop second to none."

The Grange Club have also hosted the majority of International test sides: Australia 15 times, South Africa 5 times and in recent years the West Indies, Pakistan and New Zealand have all visited the clubs famous ground. It was also the venue of Scotland's most famous victory against Worcestershire in the Nat West Trophy in June 1998.

For More information please contact either Sara Maclean 0131 313 7422 or Euan McIntyre 0131 313 7424

© Scottish Cricket Ltd