The Birmingham & District Premier Cricket League is the oldest club cricket league in the United Kingdom, formed in 1888. It was the first ECB Premier League, being designated such in 1998, and is one of the strongest of the ECB Premier Leagues.
Geography The Birmingham League traditionally covered North Worcestershire, South Staffordshire and North Warwickshire, much of which is now the conurbation of the West Midlands. Since 1998, with the introduction of the ECB Premier Leagues, the pyramid system, and feeder leagues in the four counties (Shropshire Premier Cricket League, Staffordshire Club Cricket Championship, Warwickshire Cricket League and Worcestershire County Cricket League), the catchment of the league has spread to include the whole of Shropshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire, as well as a large part of Staffordshire, although North Staffordshire clubs play in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League. Herefordshire clubs, who play in the Worcestershire County Cricket League, can also be promoted into the league.
History The Birmingham and District Cricket League is the oldest club competition in the United Kingdom, beginning league matches in 1888. The Birmingham and District Cricket Association had actually formed eight years earlier in 1880, but only ran a successful, if not controversial, cup competition for those first few years. On Friday 30 November 1888, representatives from local cricket clubs gathered at the Queen's Arms Hotel, Easy Row, Birmingham and went about setting up the first Club Cricket League in the UK, being inspired by the success The Birmingham County Football Association had had in organising local football competition and fixtures. With some representatives needing to consult their own committees before pledging their commitment to the league, and one or two prominent local clubs not being present, it was not until a second meeting on Friday 14 December 1888 that the league was actually, officially formed. There were initially seven clubs who decided to trial the league format the following season. They were: Aston Unity Handsworth Wood Kings Heath Mitchells Salters Walsall West Bromwich Dartmouth
Those early days saw many changes in the league's club make-up: Kings Heath moved to "The Reddings" Ground, joining with Moseley Cricket Club (and taking on that name). Another Kings Heath Club was formed later, but never became part of the Birmingham League set-up until the restructuring of Midlands Club cricket in 1998. Salters Cricket Club who played in Roebuck Lane, West Bromwich, and originated from the Spring Works of the same name, resigned from the league after just one season. In 1890, Wednesbury Cricket Club joined the league. In 1891, Smethwick Cricket Club, who had been involved in the Birmingham and District Cricket Association Cup competition in the 1880s, entered the league. Mitchells Cricket Club left the league between 1892 and 1896, due to some friction surrounding ineligible players, but shortly after they returned, they became Mitchells and Butlers Cricket Club when the two breweries amalgamated in 1898. In 1892, Small Heath Cricket Club joined the league and although their ground was amongst the best in the competition, the club was out of its depth in other aspects, and they resigned from the league 3 years later. In 1894, Warwickshire County Cricket Club entered the league after years of deliberation, but withdrew again in 1895 after being admitted to the County Championship. Over the next few years, the league's influence moved to the west, with Dudley Cricket Club joining the League in 1893, Stourbridge in 1894 and Kidderminster in 1895. Handsworth Wood who had performed creditably in the league until their Browne's Green ground was acquired by developers shortly after the First World War, spent one season playing at the County Ground, Edgbaston, but when no new ground could be found the following season either, they lost a narrow motion by the league (by one vote), and Old Hill Cricket Club replaced them in 1920. The Handsworth Wood Club folded shortly afterwards, handing their cash balance over to the league benevolent fund.
The second XI competition, perhaps stronger than any of the lower level 1st XI competitions which existed in the region until the restructuring of 1998, was formed in 1893. The league was suspended for the First World War between 1914 and 1918, but continued to play through the Second World War, and the League, now comprising 10 clubs (Aston Unity, Dudley, Kidderminster, Mitchells and Butlers, Moseley, Old Hill, Smethwick, Stourbridge, Walsall, West Bromwich Dartmouth), stayed the same until 1975. In 1975, the league expanded again as Warwickshire and Worcestershire decided the strength of the league could be utilised. Warwickshire entered a 1st and 2nd XI (basically a 1st/2nd team side and a 2nd/colts side), whilst Worcestershire only entered a 1st XI and Duport Cricket Club (A Dudley-based Furniture making company club) played their 2nd XI fixtures. Whilst Warwickshire established themselves in the competition and won it on a few occasions, Worcestershire struggled, and two years later, Duport took on their 1st XI fixtures too, as they were forced to pull out of the league. Duport also struggled with the on-field standards, and when support from the company's Social Club was reduced they too were forced to pull out of the competition, and were replaced by another Worcester-based side in 1982, Worcester City. Many other changes took place in the league throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and they are summarised below:
Year Outgoing Club Reason Incoming Club 1977 Worcestershire Struggled to field sides due to small County staff Duport 1982 Duport Works Social Club decreased funding and club struggled with the standard of cricket Worcester City 1985 Dudley Ground caved in and club was forced to fold Coventry and North Warwicks 1990 Warwickshire Struggled to commit to League cricket with increased County 2nd XI programme Wolverhampton 1992 Worcester City Club folded Stratford 1995 Mitchells and Butlers Brewery decided to sell off ground so club folded Barnt Green
In 1998 the Birmingham League included Promotion & relegation for the first time. The 12 teams of the Birmingham League formed the Premier Division, The 2 other big leagues (Midlands Combined Counties League & Midlands Club Cricket League) formed the lower divisions. Teams increased over time to 48 (4 1st XI divisions of 12 clubs: Premier, Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3, with accompanying 2nd XI divisions: Premier, Division 1, Division 2 West and Division 2 East). In 2017, under pressure from the ECB, the league's clubs voted to cut the league down to 2 divisions of 12 by 2019, and disband the 2nd XI competition.
ECB Premier League Since being designated an ECB Premier League in 1998, the first in the country, several changes have occurred in the league's structure. Initially, the 12 clubs in the old Birmingham League made up the Premier Division, and a First Division, Second Division East and Second Division West were made up from clubs in the old Midlands Combined Counties League, the Worcestershire League, the Warwickshire League and the Staffs League. The Second Division East and Second Division West were later replaced by a Second Division and a Third Division.
Only one club was promoted in the first year of the new structure, which was Cannock while Aston Unity, a founder member of the league, were the first club to be relegated. Since 1999, two clubs have been relegated and two promoted each season.
Following the 2018 season the Second and Third divisions were abolished, along with all four 2nd XI divisions, and the league was reduced to two divisions. The relegated 1st and 2nd XIs now compete in the four West Midland county feeder leagues.
The winners of the four feeder leagues now enter a ‘round robin’ playoff at the end of each season with the top two teams being promoted (replacing the two relegated sides from Premier Division Two) and the bottom two going back to their feeder leagues.
Clubs for 2026 For the 2026 season, the clubs in Premier Division One are: Barnards Green, Barnt Green, Dorridge, Halesowen, Harborne, Himley, Kenilworth Wardens, Knowle & Dorridge, Moseley, Ombersley, Shrewsbury, Smethwick, .
The clubs in Premier Division Two are: Attock, Berkswell, Kidderminster, Leamington Spa, Milford Hall, Old Hill, Shifnal, Stourbridge, Tamworth, West Bromwich Dartmouth, Wolverhampton, Worfield.
Across the two divisions, the league currently comprises:
8 Warwickshire clubs (Attock, Berkswell, Dorridge, Harborne, Kenilworth Wardens, Knowle & Dorridge, Leamington Spa, Moseley)
7 Staffordshire clubs (Himley, Milford Hall, Old Hill, Smethwick, Tamworth, West Bromwich Dartmouth, Wolverhampton)
6 Worcestershire clubs (Barnards Green, Barnt Green, Halesowen, Kidderminster, Ombersley, Stourbridge)
3 Shropshire clubs (Shifnal, Shrewsbury, Worfield).
Winners
YearChampions 1889 Aston Unity 1890 Moseley and West Bromwich Dartmouth* 1891 Moseley 1892 Handsworth Wood 1893 Walsall 1894 Aston Unity 1895 Moseley 1896 Walsall and Aston Unity* 1897 Handsworth Wood 1898 Dudley 1899 Kidderminster 1900 Aston Unity 1901 Kidderminster 1902 Handsworth Wood 1903 Handsworth Wood 1904 Moseley 1905 Aston Unity and Handsworth Wood* 1906 Aston Unity 1907 Moseley 1908 Moseley
YearChampions 1909 Moseley and Mitchells and Butlers* 1910 Aston Unity and Dudley* 1911 Mitchells and Butlers 1912 Walsall 1913 Dudley 1914 Mitchells and Butlers 1915 League suspended 1916 League suspended 1917 League suspended 1918 League suspended 1919 Stourbridge 1920 Moseley 1921 Old Hill 1922 Walsall 1923 Moseley 1924 Kidderminster 1925 Mitchells and Butlers 1926 Mitchells and Butlers 1927 Aston Unity 1928 Mitchells and Butlers
YearChampions 1929 Kidderminster 1930 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1931 Mitchells and Butlers 1932 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1933 West Bromwich Dartmouth and Walsall* 1934 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1935 Walsall 1936 Walsall 1937 Walsall 1938 Moseley 1939 Aston Unity and Mitchells and Butlers 1940 Old Hill 1941 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1942 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1943 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1944 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1945 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1946 Kidderminster 1947 Mitchells and Butlers 1948 West Bromwich Dartmouth
YearChampions 1949 Aston Unity 1950 Kidderminster 1951 Smethwick 1952 Dudley 1953 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1954 Mitchells and Butlers 1955 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1956 Moseley 1957 Dudley 1958 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1959 Moseley 1960 Old Hill 1961 Moseley 1962 Kidderminster 1963 Moseley 1964 Moseley 1965 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1966 Kidderminster and Walsall* 1967 Moseley 1968 Smethwick
YearChampions 1969 Moseley 1970 Moseley 1971 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1972 Walsall 1973 Kidderminster and Moseley 1974 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1975 Kidderminster 1976 Walsall 1977 Aston Unity 1978 Warwickshire 1979 Warwickshire 1980 Walsall 1981 Dudley 1982 Walsall 1983 Old Hill 1984 Moseley 1985 Moseley 1986 Walsall 1987 Stourbridge 1988 Warwickshire
YearChampions 1989 Stourbridge 1990 Wolverhampton 1991 Coventry and North Warwickshire 1992 Walsall 1993 West Bromwich Dartmouth 1994 Walsall 1995 Barnt Green 1996 Walsall 1997 Barnt Green 1998 Wolverhampton 1999 Walsall 2000 Cannock 2001 Stratford upon Avon 2002 Halesowen 2003 Wellington 2004 Wellington 2005 Barnt Green 2006 Walsall 2007 Walsall 2008 Walsall
YearChampions 2009 Knowle and Dorridge 2010 Shrewsbury 2011 Barnt Green 2012 Walsall 2013 Shrewsbury 2014 West Bromwich Dartmouth 2015 Shrewsbury 2016 Berkswell 2017 Knowle and Dorridge 2018 Berkswell 2019 Berkswell 2020 no competition 2021 Berkswell 2022 Smethwick 2023 Moseley 2024 Smethwick 2025 Smethwick 2026 Knowle and Dorridge
* – denotes a shared title
Championships won