A SEQUENCE without a league victory for Grappenhall extended to four matches following a 40-run reverse at home to Nantwich.

After restricting their guests to 107-6, the hosts were left disappointed when a 70-run partnership for the seventh wicket helped the Dabbers to reach 187.

Sam Guest took five wickets during a 27-over stint, while Saqib Mahmood claimed three victims.

Grappers’ reply started disastrously, slumping to 24-5, before Will Sharp’s half-century – including a stand worth 48 runs with Ian Barnes for the eighth wicket – took them to 134-8.

Barnes was last man out with the score on 147.

A fifth defeat of the season in the Cheshire County League’s Premier Division leaves his side in the relegation zone.

GRAPPENHALL seconds lost by nine wickets at table-toppers Nantwich on Saturday, when they mustered 128 after being put in.

Iain Wright and Ben Cagna both scored 30 at opposite ends of the batting order.

Arthur Pennington was the only bowler to take a wicket as the hosts cruised to victory by the 29th over.

MATT Brown’s 56 was a highlight of Grappenhall thirds’ innings in a 43-run success against their Urmston counterparts in Sunday’s Premier Division encounter.

They totalled 165 all out.

Teenage paceman Arran McCabe then ripped through Urmston’s top order, collecting a fifth wicket by the end of his seventh over.

David Seed removed danger-man Rob Skelley, who had raced to 46 for the visitors, before the final wicket fell at 122.