Cotswold Hills League Explained

The Cotswold Hills League is a cricket league made up of clubs from Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The spine of the geographic area covered by the League is a picturesque part of England known as The Cotswolds.

The League was founded in 1981 when it consisted of 10 teams whose First XIs played in a single division with a completely separate division for their Second XIs.

The League had grown to 8 divisions of 10 teams drawn from 49 different clubs, But over recent years its suffered the loss of some clubs going into the Warwickshire League. In 2023 its has 6 Divisions (4 Divisions of 10, 2 Divisions of 12) drawn from 35 different clubs.

In each division, every team plays each other on a home and away basis competing for promotion or to avoid relegation at the end of the season. Matches are played on Saturdays over 18 weeks, usually commencing with the first Saturday in May. These matches, based on a limited overs one-day format, consist of 90 overs, with the side batting first allowed a maximum of 45 overs. There are restrictions on the maximum number of overs any one bowler can bowl. Points are awarded for a win, plus bonus points for batting and bowling performances.

There is also a Junior Section organised in to 5 different age groups, Under 9, Under 11, Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17. The Junior section is open to clubs who do not compete in the senior section, This has been run successfully for a number of years.

Previous Winners

1981: Moreton-in-Marsh

1982: Wellesbourne

1983: Dumbleton

1984: Winchcombe

1985: Broadway

1986: Broadway

1987: Winchcombe

1988: Shipston-on-Stour

1989: Bredon

1990: Bredon

1991: Bredon

1992: Bidford-on-Avon

1993: Wellesbourne

1994: Broadway

1995: Shipston-on-Stour

1996: Shipston-on-Stour

1997: Shipston-on-Stour

1998: Shipston-on-Stour

1999: Shipston-on-Stour

2000: Exhall & Wixford

2001: Bidford-on-Avon

2002: Shipston-on-Stour

2003: Stratford Bards

2004: Overbury

2005: Exhall & Wixford

2006: Bretforton

2007: Bretforton

2008: Exhall & Wixford

2009: Bretforton

2010: Bretforton

2011: Wellesbourne

2012: Bretforton

2013: Earlswood

2014: Shipston-on-Stour

2015: Exhall & Wixford

2016: Wellesbourne

2017: Wellesbourne

2018: Wellesbourne

2019: Exhall & Wixford

2020: Bretforton (Covid-19 shortened season - group stage followed by final)

2021: Wellesbourne

2022: Wellesbourne

2023: Kineton

2024: Shipston on Stour

2024 Divisions

Premier Division

Division 1

Division 2

Division 3

Division 4

Division 5

External links