Brockhampton C.C. will be looking to upset the odds as they prepare for their debut season in the Birmingham District Premier League.

 The club, which is set in a small rural village in Herefordshire, have gained four promotions in the last five years going from the depths of local league cricket to the dizzy heights of the Premier League.

 Surviving on a shoestring budget, Brockhampton have sprung up from nowhere and taken many clubs by surprise with their rise to the top.

 So how have they got there?

 “It’s been achieved with cricketers who have been ever present for Brockhampton throughout the promotions and a large section, who came through the youth teams” said 1^st team vice captain Jonathan Walker.

 “We are not in a position to compete financially with other clubs, but we do have a loyal bunch who have played together for years which seems to have counted for a lot over the past few seasons.”

 Moving up to the Premier League is a huge step for such a small club but Walker says the club has already begun to put plans in place to ensure their longevity among the counties elite.

 “The worrying thing is we have got there (the Premier League) so quick, we are well aware that we can slip back at the same rate. [So] the club’s aim is really just to hold our own and see if we can establish ourselves at this level.

 “We have brought in a few new faces to strengthen the squad, which was a must as we are not having the service of an overseas player like last season and having also lost a frontline Bowler who has been ever present for the last 12 years.

 “We have also stipulated that senior players will assist at youth training sessions.

 “Many of the current crop have progressed through the ranks, so it is important for the youngsters to see the progression and realise exactly what they can achieve. We have a policy, that the club is only as successful as its youth teams, and in our case it has been right.”

 The club have also appointed a marketing team in order to find a main club sponsor in time for the beginning of the season, which will help to bring in some much needed revenue for the club.

 It has been a fairy-tale journey over the past five years for the lads from Brockhampton, and even if the campaign ends in relegation one thing that is certain, they won’t go down without a fight.

Words by Martin Key