Smethwick seek a first appearance in the ECB National Club Championship final when they host a semi-final against New Farnley this Sunday (12 noon start at Broomfield).

The 2024 and 2025 Birmingham & District Premier Cricket League winners overcame their closest rivals for the 2026 league title and current BDPCL leaders Knowle & Dorridge at the quarter-final stage.

But they now face the huge challenge provided by Bradford Premier League winners and reigning ECB Vitality National Club T20 champions New Farnley for a place in the final, which this year is held at Wormsley Cricket Ground on September 13th.

Smethwick anticipate being at nearly full strength for the 40-over clash and with more good weather forecast are expecting a sizeable crowd.

Their side should therefore include Viken Kedaria who recently became the first player to pass 1000 Division One runs this season, former Nottinghamshire star Bilal Shafayat, the all-round talents of Indian ace Deepak Khatri and Worcestershire's Isaac Mohammed.

The last BDPCL club to list this prestigious trophy were Shrewsbury in 2011. 

But prior to that clubs from both the BDPCL and its forerunner Birmingham League dominated through the 1980s and 90s, lifting the trophy on no fewer than nine occasions thanks in no small part to Old Hill's four successes.

The other semi-final sees Shepherd's Bush from the Middlesex Premier League travel to Cambridgeshire to face Sawston & Babraham who compete in the East Anglian Premier League.