Despite the weather which had blighted the area all week, Montrose went ahead with the game despite the fact that a rained-cancelled fixture would have seen the title head to the town for the first time in 15 years.

Montrose took the field without a couple of first team regulars with Gary Hutchison and Aitken both missing and they knew nothing less than a win would secure the league championship.

Skipper Grant Hutchison began the day in ominous fashion, losing the toss and being asked to bat by visiting skipper Armstrong. The normal partnership of vice captain Soutar and veteran Christie began the task for the home side and both looked to be in pretty good nick.

Big Ken in particular looked to take the attack to the visitors as his long limbs swiped at anything loose and wide. With 20 on the board, Soutar departed cleaned bowled by the wily Armstrong for 1.

Even more experience now appeared at the crease with the arrival of Devnani. But before long, Chrisite took one almighty swipe too many and found himself chipping the ball to the waiting Pasad. With Ken back in the hutch, Montrose were under a little pressure at 27 for 2.

With Gary Hutchison missing from the line up, Barrie Gourlay found himself promoted to the number 4 spot and came out to bat like a man possessed. But this was not a time for free scoring, but a time to consolidate and begin to build an innings. Baz did not see it this way and took every opportunity to dispatch the bowlers to the corners of the park.

Despite a couple of missed chances, Barrie did not seem to heed these warnings and soon found himself back in the pavilion thanks to a simple catch from Ferguson. Devnani then went almost immediately and when skipper Hutchison went soon afterwards Montrose found themselves at 58 for 5 and in real danger of failing to produce a defendable target in this their season's most vital game.

Experience showed its class with Hornsey and Thorogood together at the crease. Things began to turn towards the home side as the pair added another 20 to the total before Alan simply missed a straight one and found himself rueing another missed opportunity. Seventy for 6 then became 80 for 7 as this season's batting sensation Andy Baxter found himself missing a ball which bounced twice. It was 86 for 8 as Thomson played a terrible shot at a straight delivery.

Prospects were now bleak and dreams of a league title were running away from the Montrose side until the unlikely combination of Graeme Ramsay and Andy Thorogood took the pressure, chewed it up and spat it back out.
Boundaries galore came in a frenetic spell as Ramsay spanked 3 sixes and 2 fours and Thorogood 2 sixes and 9 fours in a spell binding 63.
Together the pair would added 84 to the total before Ramsay fell for 23 with Thorogood following him soon afterwards.

The final Montrose total of 187 all out looked to be a great recovery from their earlier position and possibly even a winning total, but with a Perthshire batting line up boasting five first team regulars and a couple drafted in from Fruchie for the occasion, the total would need work to defend.

After tea Montrose set sail on the second half of the quest for victory. They could not have received a better start as skipper Hutchison ripped the Perthshire openers apart removing two in only his second over to leave them stunned at 4 for 2.

Opening partner Soutar was also bowling with a purpose until he decided that he was a quick bowler and started to spray the ball around only to find himself asking for the ball back from the boundary on numerous occasions.

Darren Gourlay and Thorogood replaced the pair and initially looked to be repairing some of the damage caused by the tail end of Soutar's spell. This changed as 70 more runs were added to the total in quick fire fashion before the veteran guile and lack of pace from Thorogood accounted for two of the visiting batsmen in two balls.

With bowling changes being enforced Montrose again struggled to find bowlers to stem the tide of runs and another 45 runs were added from just 9 overs. The two batsmen looked set and the prospect of defeat began to rear its ugly head once more.

However Perthshire had not counted on the arm of Hornsey and his ability to bowl that absolutely rubbish delivery which takes a wicket. Again this was the case as Sutherland top edged the ball high into the sky and luckily for Montrose straight into the never normally safe hands of Thomson.

111 for 5 then became 112 for 6 as Thorogood ended his spell with another cheap wicket.

With the batting talent of Armstrong, Galloway and Ferguson still to come, Montrose would have to dig deep and work hard to defend the 75 runs that were required from 20 overs.

With overs still to bowl, Montrose turned to skipper Hutchison and the quiet man of the team Barrie Gourlay to begin the task. Hutchison was his normal miserly self as he stemmed the runs but it was the golden arm of Gourlay that changed the flow of the game.

A wicket with his first ball got him pumping and when he struck again with his third to remove the dangerous Armstrong, Montrose felt their day was almost made.

Barrie was not finished and struck again just nine balls later to remove the equally dangerous Ferguson.

With just one wicket remaining, 66 runs were required from 14 overs, but Gourlay had no thoughts of waiting and with the very next ball, sent the off stump of the last Perthshire batsman cartwheeling out of the ground and the celebrations began with players jumping around in celebration and skipper Hutchison finding himself drenched in champagne.

Despite a fantastic team performance which typified the team work shown this year, the sponsor's man of the match was only going to one man. For his 3 wickets and a vital 63 runs, the award went to Andy Thorogood.