LEGEND has it that the great Don Bradman was bowled for a duck in his final Test innings because he had welled up with emotion on his way to the crease. On a similar note, speculation was rife this week as to whether former England captain Alastair Cook would shed a tear in his final match for his country. No evidence this far.

Yesterday at The Grange however, there were tears as Neil McCallum strode to the wicket for the last time. The Scotland stalwart retired after helping Grange beat Heriot’s in the Citylets Scottish Cup final by eight wickets.

“It was quite emotional – I hadn’t expected that,” said McCallum. Neither does he expect to make any sort of comeback. “These are going there,” he said, pointing to his batting shoes, and then in the direction of a trestle table, piled high with old kit bound for Malawi.

McCallum’s cameo, however, raised one of the biggest cheers of the afternoon. The second ball faced was duly dispatched in to the nearby tennis courts for six, an impressive career-ending shot. “I don’t know where that came from,” he laughed. “Maybe I should have tried it a few more time during my career. But a nice way to finish.” As it was the domestic season.

If this had been a long summer, then rain in August extended it in to September, meaning that yesterday’s final came at the third time of asking, and only because Heriot’s agreed to play the decider at the home of their rivals, a gesture complimented by winning captain Preston Mommsen afterwards.

Batting first, Heriot’s toiled after losing two wickets in two balls, firstly when Elnatan Meiri, having pulled for a boundary minutes earlier, got too much elevation on a similar shot and holed out in the deep, caught Ryan Flannigan off John Blain, then next ball from the other end, Michael Shean was removed, caught Harris Carnegie, bowled Gordon Goudie.

That same combination saw off Hayes Van Der Berg, top scoring with 27, as Heriot’s limped to three figures, losing three more wickets in the 90s, finally all out for 106 in just 43 over.

Carnegie, behind the timbers, had produced a possible man of the match display. He has probably contracted measles or chickenpox overnight, as yesterday he caught everything, with seven victims in total, including three stumpings.

However, the player of the day prize went to Goudie. Having taken 4 for 10 in 10 overs, he then hit seven 4s and three 6s – including the winning hit – as Grange completed the chase in just 15.1 overs. He also took cramp for good measure.

“That is probably is probably the best I’ve bowled and batted in the same match,” the 31-year-old all-rounder admitted later. “I’ve had good days with bat, and other with ball, but it was nice to put both together in a big match.

“There were a few clouds looming at the end, but we went on the attack, not because of that, but because that’s the way we’ve played all season.”