Grosvenor Grammar School (right) reached the semi final of the Ulster Bank Schools Cup with a 19 run victory against Down High School at The Meadow, Downpatrick.

Batting first, the Grosvenor openers of Mark Johnston (33) and Adam Skelton set a good steady foundation with 35 for the first wicket before Skelton was caught at gully.

Stuart Nelson (30) then joined his skipper and quickly took the score to 72 with Nelson particularly harsh on anything short. At this stage Grosvenor looked well set for a score in exceed of 150.

However 72 for 1 became 90 for 5 and the home team would have been looking to run through the tail quickly. However they didn’t bank on a fine innings from Ellis Hanna who marshalled the tail well and finished on 22 not out despite wickets falling around him to see Grosvenor finish on 134 for 8 in their 30 overs.

Christy McGuire was the pick of the Down High bowlers with 3 for 25 and skipper Charlie Power bowled economically to finish with 2 for 19 in his six overs.

Down High (below right) lost Stuart Campbell in the second over but Terry Hutley (20) was joined by Andrew McCavera and these two looked to rotate the strike and were well up with the run rate until Hutley chased a wide one from Stuart Nelson.

McCavera (26) continued to bat aggressively but when he went for one shot too many he was bowled by Craig Irvine who returned fine figures of 2 for 10 off 6 overs.

This economical spell really put the brakes on the Down High innings in the middle overs and they were always playing catch up.

Charlie Power did take 16 off one over but when he was run out for 31 by a fine piece of fielding from Mark Johnston the home sides innings petered out to 115 leaving Grosvenor victorious by 19 runs.