REIGNING champions Exhall and Wixford will have home advantage when they start the defence of their Cotswold Hills Cricket Lea-gue crown next summer.

The villagers will entertain More-ton-in-Marsh on Saturday, May 6.

Promoted Bretforton, back in the top flight after a short absence, will also be hoping to make home advantage count while, last summer's first division runners-up Winchcombe, face a visit to Tan-worth.

A quartet of former Premier Div-ision sides will all start their quest to regain senior status on home soil.

Wellesbourne, Bidford and the two sides relegated from the top flight last season, Alcester and Ragley and Twyning, will be hoping for a winning start on their own grounds.

The 2006 fixture list features a third string from Exhall who have taken over from Evesham's third team who have dropped out.

The league's solitary newcomers will play their Division Six home matches at Harvington in a season that concludes on Saturday, Sept-ember 2.

The draw for regional rounds of the 2006 npower Village Cup takes place this month and Exhall and Wixford will be hoping for better fortunes after last season's early exit.

Opening round matches are sche-duled to take place on Sunday, April 23.