EXHALL and Wix-ford completed a successful weekend, with a hard earned 45-run victory in Sunday's opening skirmish of the 2004 npower Village Cup.

Facing a tricky group quarter-final trip to Fillongley, the Cots-wold Hills Leaguers knew that they would have to be at the top of their game.

Having been asked to bat, they were rescued to Graham Wic-kes (72) and Scott Carmichael (33) after some early alarms before John Simpson (32no) led the lower order with some typical fine hitting including three 6s in four balls in a 40-over total of 214-7.

Leon Gates and veteran John Park both bowled tidily to build the pressure on Fillo-ngley and Park's bre-akthrough took him to an Exhall career tally of 997 wickets.

Son Martin then exa-cted a superb run-out before Sid Keen was thrown the ball with instant reward to remove the dangerous Hammond.

Fillongley, though, were still in with a shout with Waqar was at the crease but the hosts reckoned without a half-fit Simon Hollands who bowled through the pain barrier to swing things Exhall's way with excellent figures of 4-37.

John Park returned to claim another wicket, to leave him two short of being the first player in the club's history to reach the magi- cal 1000 as the hosts were dismissed for 169 in the penultimate over.

Exhall now entertain Bardon Hill in a Lei-cestershire and Warw-ickshire semi-final clash on Sunday, May 30.

Meanwhile, in the Gloucestershire group, Dumbleton had an easy passage into the last four after bowling out Stone for 68 after being restricted to 163-9 in their 40 overs. They now face either Marshfield or Haresfield for a place in the group final.