IT'S hats off to Greenock Cricket Club as players don special headgear in tribute to former Scotland star Con de Lange.

The Glenpark side have joined the nationwide 'Beanies 4 Brain Tumours' campaign in honour of their former coach and national team all-rounder, who died last Thursday at the age of just 38.

De Lange took ill while on international duty with Scotland in late 2017 and was diagnosed with a brain tumour early last year.

Greenock will now join a host of clubs across the country in wearing customised beanie hats in the field for their season-opener this weekend.

The Glenparkers begin the new campaign at home to East Kilbride on Saturday at noon.

The aim of the campaign is to raise £3,500 for the Brain Tumour Charity in honour of de Lange.

Glenpark youngsters Zac Barrenechea, Tom Forrest, Jamie Nowell, Cameron Calder, Emily Norris and Amelia Calder helped launch the local initiative.

Greenock cricketer Rod Mountford, who is co-ordinating the campaign, said: "Con was a fantastic guy and held in such high regard within our club. "The Beanies 4 Brain Tumours concept has been embraced by over 30 clubs across Scotland which is a small measure of how highly respected he was within the cricketing community in Scotland."

The hats have been designed in partnership with the Brain Tumour Charity and supplied by Smiths of Greenock.

The campaign is being backed by Cricket Scotland.

Mr Mountford said: "The impact Con had on a lot of clubs and this club, especially with the juniors, was immense. "Some of them have now moved through the ranks and into senior cricket."

The campaign is now on target to achieve the fundraising goal of £3,500, which could pay for two weeks of research for one of the Brain Tumour Charity's experts and provide more targeted treatments.

Beanies are available to buy at the Greenock Cricket Club bar, priced £14, while stocks last, and donations can also be made online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cricket-scotland-brain-tumour-charity.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.cricketscotland.com/beanies-4-brain-tumours