Captains confirmed for season 2026

With less than a month to go before preseason kicks off for another year at Grange Loan, director of cricket, Stevie Gilmour, has announced the on-pitch leaders for 2026.

Daniel Da Costa will take charge of the top team at Grange Loan for a second year. Taking over the 1^st XI captaincy from Arun Pillai in 2025, Da Costa led the side to a 2^nd place finish in the Eastern Premier League as well as Scottish Cup and Masterton trophy semi-finals. During last season Da Costa amassed 922 runs in 25 matches, averaging 51.22, with a high score of 109 against Grange in the Masterton Trophy.

Samantha Haggo retains her role at the helm of the Women’s 1^st XI. Having replaced Annette Aitken-Drumond in 2023, Haggo led the Women’s 1^st XI to back-to-back Women’s Premier Titles in 2023 and 2024, making it four in a row since 2021. The former Scotland international is the club’s 2^nd top run scorer in history with 851 runs in 39 matches at an average of 50.06.

Gavin Murray is the one change to this year’s captaincy roster, replacing Charles Stronach as captain of the 2^nd XI. Murray was a core member of the 2^nd XI who missed out on the ESCA Championship title by a single point in 2021. In that season he scored 372 runs in 13 matches at an average of 31, with a top score of 109 against Kelso at Shedden Park. Since then, he has become a regular in the 1^st XI, whilst also playing a role in the ESCA Division One winning 2^nd XI side in 2024.

Sarah Beith continues in her role of stewarding the Women’s 2^nd XI. Beith has led the side since its inception and tops the run scoring charts with 234 runs in 14 matches at an average of 26. Beith captained the Women’s 2^nd XI to the side’s most recent silverware in the form of the 2025 Women’s Challenger Cup. Beith has also been a part of the Women’s 1^st XI squad since 2019 and played an important role in the 4 Women’s Premier League titles from 2024-2025.

Brad McKay strides into his 9^th consecutive season as captain of the 3^rd XI. Having taken over the role in 2018, McKay has maintained the side’s position in ESCA Division 2 over his tenure. McKay is the 2^nd top wicket taker for the 3s, with only the legendary Dave Carter having picked up more. McKay has taken 129 wickets in 115 matches with an economy rate of 3.56 and an average of 18.60. He is also the 2^nd XI’s 4^th top wicket taker, including five 5 wicket hauls, and has six 1^st XI wickets to his name.

Alan Murray will lead the 4^th XI for the 6^th consecutive season. Having replaced Bob Irvine as captain in 2021, the side have endured one relegation down to ESCA Division 5, however have maintained a steady flow of juniors flooding up the ranks. Having played for every senior side bar the 1^st XI, Murray is the 2^nd top run scorer and 2^nd top wicket taker for the 4s, as well as being 7^th on the all time 3^rd XI wicket taking list. Murray has scored 1804 runs for the 4^th XI and is closing in on Eric Edwards for top spot. He has also taken 66 wickets for the side and has the most appearances in the side’s history with 164 caps.

Keith Murray completes the trio of Murrays as he returns for another season as 5^th XI captain. Since replacing Shaun Barret as captain in 2019, Murray has kept the 5s steady in ESCA Division 7 with top finishes of 5^th place in 2023 and 2025. Murray is the team’s all-time appearance holder with 110 matches. In that time, he has hit 2435 runs, including 14 half centuries, at an average of 26.76 and a top score of 90. Murray has also featured 19 times for the 3^rd XI, 55 times for the 4^th XI and in numerous midweek friendlies as part of the extensive midweek calendar that he pulls together every season.