OVERBURY will have to overcome last year's beaten National Village Cricket Championships runners-up if they are to make progress this summer.

The Cotswold Hills League side has been drawn against Astwood Bank, who lost out to Shipton-under-Wychwood in the Lord's final at the end of last season.

However, Overbury will know all about their Worcestershire, Here-fordshire and Powys group rivals after losing out to the eventual finalists in 2003.

Astwood Bank then got the better of Bretforton on their way to a capital day out and the Station Road club face a second round tie on Sunday, May 2 at Cutnall Green.

The winners will then play host to either Mishaps, thrashed by Overbury last season, or Feckenham. Victory for Overbury would secure a home date on May 16 with one of their victims in 2003, Holt and Grimley, or Chad-desley Corbett, who lost out to Bretforton to last summer.

Elmley Castle, like their fellow Cotswold Hills League clubs, starts the competition in round two where they will entertain Eskley.

Two more Cotswold League sides will contest group action in Leicestershire and Warwickshire.

Exhall and Wixford, group winners last time out, play host to Ansley on May 2, while Kineton make their second round trip to the other side of Leamington to tackle Offchurch.

Twyning have also been handed a bye in the first round but they now face a tough Gloucestershire group test at Marshfield on May 2.

Dumbleton, Bredon, Slaughters United and former finalists App-erley are all in opening round action on Sunday, April 18.

The former entertain Witcombe, Bredon visit Clearwell, the Cots-wold villagers play host to Hare-sfield and Apperley make the trip to Birdlip and Brimpsfield.

Group finals are scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 13 while the 2004 champions will be determined at the home of cricket on Sunday, August 22.