WITH the restructure of the Birmingham League system Brockhampton are preparing for a hard campaign as their rivals spend big in order to ensure safety.

Divisions Two and Three of the league are set to be scrapped next season with 20 teams heading back into the Worcestershire league.

Brockhampton firsts get their Division One campaign underway this Saturday at home to Bromsgrove with a young side of cricketers who are keen to impress.

Herefordshire's only Birmingham League side struggled in the Premier Division last season finishing bottom with three wins from 22 matches.

However, chairman Roy Wargen is hopeful that his side can impress and maintain their Division One status to avoid going back into the Worcestershire League.

Nick Powell will once again captain the side while Worcestershire County Cricket former captain and opening batsman Daryl Mitchell will star alongside oversees Australian bowler Toby Abernethy.

"We want to make sure we're in the Birmingham League in 2019 so we don't want to finish in the bottom two," said Wargen.

"I don't think we will be as we have a crop of good young players who are between 16 and 18, many of which will be playing in the team we have entered in the under-19s Worcestershire League as well.

"It's all looking very good as we have a group of lads who are looking really strong. It will be a hard league as a lot of teams have strengthened as they know the implications of finishing in the bottom two.

"It's going to be hard as we haven't got the finances of some of the big clubs we are playing against who are very rich while we are a small village team."

Wargen hopes that Mitchell will play between 10 and 14 matches for Brockhampton alongside his county duties while 24-year-old right-arm medium bowler Abernethy will play most matches and is staying with club volunteer Nigel Rogoff during the season.

Brockhampton women's side also begin their Midlands League Division Two West campaign on Sunday when they travel to Kenilworth Wardens.

The only women's senior side in the county competed in the Gloucestershire Women's League last season and have been training hard during the winter months ready for the step up.