CALLINGTON bowed out of the ECB National Club Championship on Sunday afternoon, but not before making much-fancied Paignton work hard at Moores Park.

Cally – who were without a host of first-teamers due to county duty for both Devon and Cornwall – used the second preliminary round tie as an opportunity to give their promising youngsters an opportunity to get a taste of top-class club cricket with seven under 19s named in their starting line-up to go alongside overseas player Liam Lindsay, skipper Aidan Libby, director of cricket Joe White and head coach Max Waller.

After being sent in, Cally soon lost Libby to a fine catch at slip off pro Aqa Gqamana, but rebuilt via Lindsay and James Brenton (12).

However, although Lindsay was in a different league, the rest of the order struggled to score freely against a side who were close to full-strength and finished second in last year’s ECB Devon Premier League.

White made 26 from 52 balls from number four, but as Lindsay went through the gears on his way to a majestic 119 not out from 99 balls, a late cameo from Ollie Bennett (14) who hit Gqamana for three straight boundaries – helped them reach a competitive 221-6 from their 40 overs.

That target looked a long way off when Spencer Whatley struck twice in the first over as Luke Medlock was caught at point by James Brenton before Matt Lipton edged through to White behind the stumps.

Harry Ward made 23 before being caught at slip by Lindsay off Ryan Hodge (55-3), however the game was all but won by a third-wicket stand of 116 between Brenton Pedley (82) and Gqamana (60).

Ollie Bennett (2-21) and Stephen Skews took their inaugural first-team wickets late on, but it was Paignton who got home by four wickets with 23 balls to spare.