DIFFICULT away tasks await both Exhall and Wixford and Dumbleton when they bid to reach the last 32 of the Wadworth 6X National Village Championship on Sunday.

The reigning Cotswold Hills League champions are aiming to go one better than 12 months ago when they visit Leamington Spa to face Warwickshire League outfit Offchurch.

Exhall were narrowly beaten by Bordon Hill in 2000 so they will be doubly determined to win this weekend's Leicestershire and Warwickshire Group and book a home clash on July 8 with either Condover or Tibberton from the Shropshire, Staffordshire and West Midlands section.

Exhall defeated their opponents a couple of seasons ago at the group stage but they will have noticed Offchurch's strengths from the last round when they scored 261-4 to defeat Fillongley.

Opener Wayne Killian smashed a century while 17-year-old Nadeen Mohammed hit an unbeaten 58.

The Cotswold Leaguers will be hoping for a better start than on their last Sunday success when they lost two wickets without a run on the board before Simon Hollands (74no) and skipper Scott Carmichael (53) steered them to a five-wicket victory.

Dumbleton have been really rattling up the runs on their way to the Gloucestershire group final and they will be hoping to have some left in the bag ahead of a visit to Haresfield.

The latter surprisingly overcame Redmarley in the previous round and will prove a tough test of the villagers.

Dumbleton went one better than Exhall last time around, defeating 1998 losing finalists Apperley in the group final, but they then succumbed to Werrington by two wickets off the last ball at the last 32 stage.

Werrington, 1994 finalists, went on to lose in the quarter-final by nine wickets to Timsbury.

Victory for Dumbleton will give them away route to the semi-finals, starting with a last 32 trip to Oxfordshire a game against either Kidmore End or Oxford Downs.