GRAPPENHALL suffered a nine-wicket defeat at home to Chester Boughton Hall despite a promising start.

With only four points gained, which at the halfway point of the season sees Grappenhall languishing at the bottom of the table, it is increasingly looking like it will be a dogfight between four clubs for Cheshire County League ECB Premier Division survival.

Fellow strugglers Marple are this Saturday’s visitors to Broad Lane, and a much improved performance could be crucial to Grappenhall’s season.

Firstly, though, Grappers travel to Hyde tonight, Thursday, in the quarter finals of the T20 competition, a match which has been reduced to 15 overs a side and a 7pm start.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first against Chester on an easy paced Broad Lane wicket, openers Jimmy McCoy, 73, and Adam Roylance, 45, put on a century stand in an encouraging start.

After the fall of McCoy, who delivered an array of well timed and powerful shots all around the park, wickets fell all too cheaply as Grappers subsided to a below par 181 all out in the 48th over.

Chester's openers, after a sedate start, put on 92 for the first wicket, which fell to Roylance’s slow left-arm spin.

Thereafter, despite Grappenhall using seven bowlers in a bid to find the right formula, Chester were untroubled as they reached the winning line in the 36th over.

Grappenhall thirds came out on top of a tense match at home to Toft on Sunday.

The Knutsford side posted 199 all out, with Stan Pennington the shining line of an improved bowling performance, taking four wickets.

Fourteen-year-old Arthur Pennington set the tone for the Grappers reply, with some fantastic stroke play, and he was well supported by 15-year-old James Jenkinson.

When Arthur went for 49, Jenkinson raised his game and survived a few scares on his way to 46.

David Seed played some audacious shots as he scored quickly and after being caught for an important 31 it was left to the young tail to see Grappers home with two overs to spare for the loss of eight wickets.