The Johnners Trust Awards Panel met by Zoom on 16 April 2021 and once again we agreed to support Blind Cricket England and Wales (BCEW) both for their annual Development Festival at Leicester University and their flourishing women and girls programme throughout the country. The total funding for both these applications was in excess of £17,000. The ongoing discussion about the future development of visually impaired cricket in England and Wales, involving the ECB, BCEW, the Johnners Trust and the Lord’s Taverners, is still a work in progress.

We also agreed in principle to grant Johnners cricket scholarships to a number of talented young cricketers in need of financial assistance to help them progress in the game. However, because of the pandemic leading to the late start in cricket activities throughout the country, we were advised by David Graveney to defer such awards until later in the year when the element of need would become clearer. The panel did agree to support an application from Cricket East (Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire) for scholarships to be awarded to 15 talented young cricketers (both girls and boys) on the Wicketz programme; these young players cannot afford the cost of kit and travel and have been selected for county age group representative squads.

The Johnners Trust Awards Panel was able to hold its annual meeting on 17 April 2020, albeit via Zoom, and we were delighted to welcome our new Trustee, the experienced presenter, sports journalist and cricket commentator, Alison Mitchell. Despite the lack of foreseeable cricket at the time, we agreed to make the following awards:

• Scholarships in the sum of £300 to twenty or so promising young cricketers, both girls and boys, in financial need, recommended to us as usual by David Graveney OBE, National Performance Manager for ECB. These Scholarships were intended to compensate the scholars for some of their cricket expenditure during the winter months.
• Blind & Visually Impaired Cricket: to support Blind Cricket England & Wales (BCEW) for their annual Development Festival at Leicester University, provisional upon it being able to go ahead.

The Panel kept their options open to make further awards in the event of cricket activity resuming, both in the cases of scholarships and blind cricket.

The BJMT Awards Panel met on 17 April 2019 at the Lord’s Taverners offices in London to make the annual Brian Johnston Scholarship Awards. A total of more than £45,000 was given in scholarships, grants and awards to help promising young cricketers to fulfil their sporting potential. We are very grateful for the generosity and support of all our Johnners Club members, who have enabled us to make these awards.

(1) ECB Recommended Scholars.

On the recommendation of the ECB Performance Department, Brian Johnston Cricket Scholarships totalling £25,000 were awarded to the following young cricketers to assist them with travelling expenses so that they can attend their coaching and training sessions:

Bedfordshire

• Mohammed Haris
• Haidar Haroon
• Mohammed Malik
• Ismeel Naeem
• Dilan Sheemar

Buckinghamshire

• Cara Duggan
• Hashan Ramandapulle

Cheshire

• Mo Rizvi

Cornwall

• Solly Hicks
• Keesan Stewart

Cumbria

• Yasmin Shaw

Durham

• Stanley McAlindon
• Alfie Taylor-Clarke

Glamorgan

• Tomos Jones

Gloucestershire

• Soloman Dark
• Hamdi Saleem
• Taylor Ireland

Hampshire

• George Metzger

Isle of Wight

• Ben Atwill
• Aron Pollard
• Oscar Vandercastille

Kent

• Chelsey Rowson

Leicestershire

• Raheem Ahmed
• Rehan Ahmed
• Jabari Darrell
• Prablad Odedra

Northants

• James Cronie
• Connor Haddow
• Freddie Heldreich

Somerset

• Jack Harding
• Max Horton
• Max Toohey

Surrey

• Shoaib Bashir

Cricket Wales

• Sophie Thomas

Warwickshire

• Roshan Balaji
• Alfie Blundell
• Awais Mohammed

Worcestershire

• Reeve Evitts
• Ollie Halion
• Seb Smith
• Ollie Walker

(2) Blind Cricket.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust is proud to continue its support of cricket for the visually impaired and a grant of £9,110 was awarded to Blind Cricket England and Wales towards the cost of funding their ninth annual development weekend at the University of Leicester in September 2019, designed to introduce players and teams from around the country to blind cricket.

An additional grant of £8,050 was awarded to fund the UK Women and Girls VI Programme that offers blind and visually impaired school girls throughout the country the opportunity to learn about the game and participate in out-of-school cricket sessions in Berkshire, Worcestershire and Yorkshire, and in their new group in the West Country.

The BJMT also agreed to grant £4,000 towards funding the BCEW BJMT International Ball Challenge Cup involving about 50 players and taking place in June 2019 at Loughborough University.

The BJMT Awards Panel met on 17 April 2018 at the Lord’s Taverners offices in London to make the annual Brian Johnston Scholarship Awards. A total of more than £40,000 was given in scholarships, grants and awards to help promising young cricketers to fulfil their sporting potential. Once again we are grateful for the generosity and support of all our Johnners Club members, who have enabled us to make these awards.

(1) ECB Recommended Scholars.

On the recommendation of the ECB Performance Department, Brian Johnston Cricket Scholarships totalling more than £18,000 were awarded to the following young cricketers to assist them with travelling expenses so that they can attend their coaching and training sessions:

Buckinghamshire

• Cara Duggan

Durham

• Bilal Blaig
• Marcus Brown
• Luke Doneathy
• Helen Fenby
• Brodie Glendinning

Glamorgan

• Alex Griffiths
• Tomos Jones

Gloucestershire

• Dylan Caddy
• Jack Gibbs
• Natasha Wraith

Kent

• Tom Davis
• Chelsey Rowson

Leicestershire

• Jacob Bailey
• Nathan Bowley
• Donald Butchart
• James Dickenson
• Harry Funnell
• Jack Nightingale

Somerset

• Lewis Goldsworthy

Surrey

• Nathan Barnwell
• Chloe Brewer
• Ahmed Khan

Sussex

• Jack Carson

Warwickshire

• Shoaib Akhtar
• Alfie Blundell
• Khayam Khan

Worcestershire

• Zain Ul Hassan
• Riecko Parker-Cole
• Mitchell Stanley

(2) Blind Cricket.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust is proud to continue its support of cricket for the visually impaired and a grant of £8,850 was awarded to Blind Cricket England and Wales towards the cost of funding their ninth annual development weekend at the University of Leicester in September 2018, designed to introduce players and teams from around the country to blind cricket.

An additional grant of £8,270 was awarded to fund the UK Women and Girls VI Programme that offers blind and visually impaired school girls throughout the country the opportunity to learn about the game and participate in out-of-school cricket sessions in Berkshire, Worcestershire and Yorkshire. This includes funding towards a Development Tour of a Women and Girls blind and visually impaired cricket team to Barbados.

(3) BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust has also agreed to one final year of sponsorship for the BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme in association with the ECB. All eighteen of the first-class Counties and UCCEs are now participating in this programme that aims to encourage and develop the art of spin bowling in England and Wales by providing funds for additional coaching at Academy level.

The BJMT Awards Panel met on 26 April 2017 at the Lord’s Taverners offices in London to make the annual Brian Johnston Scholarship Awards. A total of £45,000 was given in scholarships, grants and awards to help promising young cricketers to fulfil their sporting potential. Once again we are grateful for the generosity and support of all our Johnners Club members, who have enabled us to make these awards.

(1) ECB Recommended Scholars.

On the recommendation of the ECB Performance Department, Brian Johnston Cricket Scholarships totalling more than £15,000 were awarded to the following young cricketers to assist them with travelling expenses so that they can attend their coaching and training sessions:

Buckinghamshire

• Cara Duggan: A talented all-rounder who has represented her County at all ages from Under 15 to Bucks Women’s 1st XI.

 Durham

• Scott Steel: Now in his third season with the Academy with the ambition to become a professional cricketer.
• Liam Trevaskis: A 17-year-old who is currently in his third year as an Academy player with the ambition to become a professional.

 Gloucestershire

• Danielle Gibson: An exciting bowling all-rounder, she is currently part of the England women’s Academy. At the age of 15 is in consideration for a Kia Super League contract. Last season she won the County’s Women Player of the Year Award.
• Natasha Wraith: An outstanding athlete who established herself as the County’s first choice wicket keeper when she was only 14 years old. She has been included in the County boys EPP programme.
• Ben Charlesworth: A talented 16-year-old all-rounder who broke into the County’s 2nd XI last season as well as being selected for England’s Under 16 tour of Sri Lanka in March 2017.
• George Drissell: A very talented off-spin bowler who is now training regularly with the County’s professional squad and performing well.

 Hampshire

• George Metzger: He is Under 15 and is now in his second year of the County EPP and has been training with the Academy.
• George Pardoe: Under 16 fast bowler who has been selected for the Academy this year.
• Zeph Wells: An Under 14 who has been selected for the County EPP and Bowling Development group. He is expected to be selected for the South & West Bunbury squad this year.

 Kent

• Tom Davis: A fast bowling all-rounder who in 2017 became a member of the County Academy and Under 17 Performance squad. He was selected as one of the Bunbury Festival’s Under 16 squad, comprising the best players throughout the country, to tour Sri Lanka in February 2017. He has been training with the County 1st team squad.

 Leicestershire

• Badhal Khunti: One of the County’s most talented young cricketers who has benefitted from the BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme. He is now part of the County squad.
• Bhijal Khunti: Badhal’s younger sister and part of the County’s Young Cricketers Programme, she is expected to be become part of the EPP when she is old enough.

Somerset

• Lewis Goldsworthy: An extremely talented member of the County Academy.

 Surrey

• Euan Woods: Left-handed bat and off spin bowler. He is currently part of the County Academy and is involved with the Young Lions programme.
• Bradley Currie: A left-arm seam bowler who is part of the County Academy programme, and is also with the County Under 18 and 2nd XI squads.

 Warwickshire

• Grace Ballinger: An opening left-arm bowler and top order left-handed bat. Member of the County Emerging Player Programme (EPP) with their Under 17 squad.
• Tiarna Gilkes: A right-hand top order batsman and opening seam bowler. A member of the County EPP with the ambition to graduate to the Academy programme and to represent England women’s team in the future. She has already been on a number of England training programmes.
• Ashleigh Heath: A 16-year-old who is a member of the Shropshire EPP and Under 17 squad and has recently been selected to be part of the Warwickshire young cricketers tour to South Africa.
• Mohammed Ahmed: A talented 17-year-old wrist spin bowler who is a member of the County Academy.
• Shoaib Akhtar: A 17-year-old top order batsman and a member of the County EPP.

 Worcestershire

• Alex Milton: An outstanding young wicket keeper who has played for the County 2nd XI.
• Dillon Pennington: Was awarded a place on the County Academy in 2016 and has been an outstanding addition to the programme as a person, character and performer.
• Josh Dell: A player of high potential with the County Academy who played for England Under 19s in 2016 against Sri Lanka.
• Zen Malik: A member of the County Academy who also represented England Under 19s against Sri Lanka last year.

(2) Blind Cricket.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust is proud to continue its support of cricket for the visually impaired and a grant of £8,600 was awarded to Blind Cricket England and Wales towards the cost of funding their eighth annual development weekend at the University of Leicester in September 2017, designed to introduce players and teams from around the country to blind cricket.

An additional grant of £9,000 was awarded to fund the BCEW Women and Girls VI Programme that offers blind and visually impaired school girls throughout the country the opportunity to learn about the game and participate in out-of-school cricket sessions in Berkshire, Worcestershire and Yorkshire.

(3) BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust has agreed to continue its sponsorship of the BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme in association with the ECB. All eighteen of the first-class Counties and UCCEs are now participating in this programme that aims to encourage and develop the art of spin bowling in England and Wales by providing funds for additional coaching at Academy level.

The BJMT Awards Panel met on 20 April 2016 at the Lord’s Taverners offices in London to make the annual Brian Johnston Scholarship Awards. A total of £50,000 was given in scholarships, grants and awards to help promising young cricketers to fulfil their sporting potential. Once again we are grateful for the generosity and support of all our Johnners Club members, who have enabled us to make these awards.

(1) ECB Recommended Scholars.

On the recommendation of the ECB Performance Department, Brian Johnston Cricket Scholarships totalling more than £14,000 were awarded to the following young cricketers to assist them with travelling expenses so that they can attend their coaching and training sessions:

• Mohammed Ahmed, Warwickshire: A talented sixteen-year-old wrist spin bowler who is a member of the Warwicks EPP. He is close to Academy level.
• Emily Arlott, Worcestershire: In 2014/5 Emily was selected onto the EW U19 programme and is a member of the Worcestershire EPP and EWDP.
• Luke Cheshire, Glamorgan: Luke is a highly promising left-arm seam bowler in his first year on the Academy on the back of several good performances in the Oxford U17 team as a fourteen-year-old.
• Ben Claydon, Northants: A sixteen-year-old all-rounder, Ben represented the London & East at last year’s Bunbury Festival. He played most of his age group cricket for Cambridgeshire before joining the Northants Academy programme as a fourteen-year-old.
• Providence Cowdrill, Hampshire: Providence is a talented leg spin bowler, who has been on Hants EPP for the last two years and is now a member of their Elite Player Group (Girls Academy). She currently plays for Hampshire U17 and women’s teams.
• Ollie Currill, Gloucestershire: A nineteen-year-old seam bowler and part of the Academy programme, Ollie has been involved with the Gloucestershire 1st XI in pre-season games this year.
• Ben Duggan, Hampshire: Ben is a talented seventeen-year-old who is on the Hampshire Academy for the second year running.
• Katie George, Hampshire: An U17 left arm spin bowler, Katie has been through Hampshire EPP and is now in her first year on the county’s Elite Player Group (Girls Academy).
• Bradley Goldsack, Kent: A thirteen-year-old, left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who is currently in the Kent U14 squad and EPP programme.
• Lewis Goldsworthy, Somerset: Lewis is an extremely talented multi-sport player including both cricket and football. He trains with Cornwall’s EPP twice a week and on the Somerset PSPP once a week.
• Jake Goodwin, Hampshire: A seventeen-year-old who is now in his third year on the county Academy.
• Sam Groves, Gloucestershire: A talented sixteen-year-old right-arm seam bowler, Sam has joined the Gloucestershire Academy this year.
• Jade Hoyte, Norfolk: Jade is a very talented fifteen-year-old all-rounder selected for the Norfolk U16 squad, who has come through the Chance to Shine system and was Norfolk’s leading wicket taker when in the U13s.
• Rafeh Jafri, Surrey: A talented right-arm fast medium bowler, Rafeh is currently on the Surrey Academy programme. In 2015 he played for the county 2nd XI, U17 and ECB Super 4.
• Madraj Johal, Warwickshire: A thirteen-year-old talented all-rounder, he is a member of the Warwicks EPP. Madraj has represented Warwickshire at county age group cricket since he was a nine-year-old.
• Badhal Khunti, Leicestershire: One of the county’s most talented young cricketers who has benefitted from the BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme for the last three years. Badhal has represented the county in his age groups for the last two seasons having been spotted by one of Leicestershire’s Chance to Shine coaches and fast-tracked straight into the county system.
• Bhijal Khunti, Leicestershire: Badhal’s younger sister and part of the Leicestershire Young Cricketers Programme, Bhijal is expected to be become part of the Leics EPP when she is old enough.
• Felix Organ, Hampshire: He is on the Hampshire Academy and is a very highly rated all-rounder. He is also on the ECB radar for their EDP programme.
• Zac Organ, Hampshire: Zac joined Hampshire EPP programme last year and will be pushing for an Academy place this summer.
• Liam Patterson-White, Nottinghamshire: A slow left-arm spin bowler, Liam has been involved with the U19 EPP squad and is expected to play for Nottinghamshire 2nd XI and Super 4s programme.
• Jack Popham, Gloucestershire: Jack is a seam bowler and part of the county Academy. He has played Minor County 1nd XI cricket for Devon.
• Anis Raza, Nottinghamshire: A very talented left-arm spinner who has been performing with the EDP U19 squad. Anis is expected to play for Staffordshire in 2016.
• Jonathan Read, Yorkshire: An outstanding young wicket-keeper, Jonathan will start the season as Yorkshire’s number two wicket-keeper with Jonny Bairstow currently in the England side. A Yorkshire Academy player for the 2016 season. He played county 2nd XI cricket for the last quarter of the season after having had a very successful year with the Academy.
• Rahul Sheemar, Essex: At the age of fourteen Rahul has shown exciting potential in his first year on the county Academy as a top order, left-handed batsman and off-spin bowler.
• Oliver Westbury, Worcestershire: Oliver had an outstanding 2015 season for the Worcestershire 2nd XI including a century on his debut against Nottinghamshire. He has been called up to the EDP Invitation XI.
• Ryan Wheldon, Worcestershire: He is a member of Worcestershire EPP and Satellite Academy. He joined the Worcestershire Academy from Shropshire after a successful 2015 season which included selection for the Bunbury Festival.
• Euan Woods, Surrey: Left-handed bat and off-spin bowler, currently on Surrey’s EPP/Academy programme. Euan represented the ECB Regional London & South U17 side a year under age.

(2) Blind Cricket.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust is proud to continue its support of cricket for the visually impaired and a grant of £8,000 was awarded to Blind Cricket England and Wales towards the cost of funding their seventh annual development weekend at the University of Leicester in September 2016, designed to introduce players and teams from around the country to blind cricket.

An additional grant of up to £10,000 was given to fund the further development of Female VI Cricket in the BCEW’s girls-specific cricket initiative that offers blind and visually impaired school girls throughout the country the opportunity to learn about the game and participate in out-of-school cricket sessions. 

(3) BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust has agreed to continue its sponsorship of the BJMT Elite Spin Bowling Programme in association with the ECB. All eighteen of the first-class Counties and UCCEs are now participating in this programme that aims to encourage and develop the art of spin bowling in England and Wales by providing funds for additional coaching at Academy level.