HOLDERS Callington were knocked out of the Hawkey Cup on Tuesday night as Premier League rivals Wadebridge emerged six-run winners at Moores Park.

The visitors were flying along at 82-1 after 10 overs thanks to Aussie Lachlan Crump and former Greens favourite Matt Robins, but Callington’s spin attack fought back superbly to restrict the Swans to just 129-8.

Cally would have fancied their chances during the innings break, but after losing openers Xavie Clarke and Aidan Libby early on, they never got started.

An advancing Libby (7) was bowled by James Turpin, while Clarke (9) skied a catch to Matt Butler at mid-on off Callum Wilson.

Cally found it tough to score and after skipper Graham Wagg paddled Matt Lawrence (1-21 off 3) to short fine-leg for six from 15 deliveries, Matt Rowe (2-11 off 3) took out Liam Lindsay and Max Tryfonos in the same over to make it 52-5.

Lindsay (17) was bowled reverse-sweeping, while Tryfonos (10) edged a catch through to Fred Wilkinson behind the stumps.

Back came the hosts as Matt Shepherd (29 off 24) and Rowen Taplin (28 off 22) put on 55 which saw some heavy hitting from both, but with the run-rate increasing, it was always in the balance.

Taplin departed for an excellent 28 in the 18th over after skying a catch to Crump off his own bowling.

Twenty-two were required off the last 12 balls and although Shepherd deftly reverse-paddled Wilson for four, Wilson’s superb yorker soon rearranged his furniture.

That over went for just seven and with 15 to defend, just three came off the next three balls bowled by Crump (2-15 off 2).

Off the fourth, Ben Ellis was brilliantly snaffled by a diving Wilson at long-off to all but end the game as Wadebridge gained revenge for last year’s final defeat at St Austell.

Earlier in the evening, Wadebridge chose to bat and despite losing the hard-hitting James Turpin, stumped by Joe White off a first ball wide from Tryfonos, Robins found a perfect ally in Crump who blasted six fours and two sixes before being stumped off leg-spinner Harry Sawyers (1-15 off 3) in the 11th over.

Robins managed just five boundaries in his 39 from 51 balls, and despite a plethora of new batsmen coming in, nobody could add the impetus as expected as the second 10 saw them make just 47 while losing seven wickets in the process.

Tryfonos was the pick with 3-19 from his four, while Wagg (0-18) went for even less.

Reflecting on the evening, Callington director of cricket Joe White said: “We were very happy to restrict them to 129, particularly with how well they batted in the first 10. But in the second half of their innings we took seven wickets for just 47 runs and got ourselves back into it.”

Callington’s batting has struggled in recent weeks and did so again against a fine attack which gave little away.

White added: “With the bat, our innings never got going and losing regular wickets and struggling to rotate the strike cost us.

“Matt Shepherd and Rowen Taplin gave us half a chance with a fine partnership, but it wasn’t quite enough.

“It was disappointing to exit the competition at the semi-final stage, but we wish the best of luck to Wadebridge in the final.”