GRAPPENHALL suffered defeat by 157 runs at the hands of Bramhall on Saturday in the Cheshire County Premier League.

Winning the toss, in damp conditions, Grappenhall elected to insert the opposition who found the going tough on a slow, seamy wicket and very slow outfield.

After 40 overs Bramhall had limped to 115 for 5 and a total of around 160 looked a likely score.

At this point the home side launched something of a counter attack, and with the loss of only one further wicket reached 204 for 6 at the close of their innings.

For Grappenhall, Sam Guest bowled a marathon spell from the start and returned later in the fray, picking up three wickets for his efforts.

Gaz Burns also bowled well for two wickets and Ian Barnes the other. Will Sharp, standing in as keeper with the skipper out injured, acquitted himself well with two fine catches standing up to the wicket.

In reply Grappenhall never got going, with wickets tumbling at an alarming rate, as the wicket seemed to deteriorate further and Bramhall's bowlers exploited the conditions.

An all out total of 47 and a loss by the margin of 157 runs was certainly one of Grapper`s heaviest defeats for a very long time.

The only positive was 14-year-old Arthur Pennington top scoring with 15 not out.

Grappenhall host Macclesfield on Saturday.

Warrington meanwhile kept the pressure on in the hunt for promotion from Division Two with a win by five wickets at Upton keeping them in second place.

On a good batting track, Upton took a slight upper hand but Nathan Green spearheaded the Warrington attack with 4 for 64 with James Rudd chipping in with a late wicket as the hosts closed their innings on 195 for 5.

Following the loss of two wickets, Tom Clutterbuck, 25, and Rudd, 30, steadied the innings.

Although well behind the clock, a seventh-wicket stand of 93 from Sam Houghton, unbeaten on 69, and Green, 37 not out, saw Houghton hit the winning runs with a six over mid-wicket.

Warrington seconds lost by 92 runs to their Upton counterparts after being bowled out for 83.

The thirds fell to a five-wicket defeat against Upton's thirds, while Warrington's fourth team lost by five wickets to Timperley.