Brian Johnston Memorial Trust – Elite Spin Bowling Programme

This is the most important project that the Trust does within the Spin Programme. It provides Specialist spin bowling coaching at County Academy and Emerging Player Programme Level as well as to the MCC Universities and is a partnership between the Brian Johnston Memorial Trust, the ECB, all 18 First Class Counties and MCC Universities.

The Brian Johnston Memorial Trust (BJMT) was set up in memory of Brian Johnston former BBC cricket commentator and the voice of Test Match Special. The Trust is ‘dedicated to discover and develop the talents of our most promising young cricketers, particularly those whose opportunities would otherwise be restricted by a lack of facilities or financial resources.’

They achieve this by offering scholarships to young cricketers who suffer financial hardship, supporting visually impaired and blind cricket and have for a number of years been great supporters of the ECB’s Spin Programme. The BJMT is administered under the umbrella of the Lord’s Taverners and further information can be found at the following link http://www.johnners.com/charity.html

So far 28 players from the Programme have gone on to gain First Class County Contracts within the last 4 years of the programme. On the girls side of the game 2 programme participants have gone on to make their England debuts. Nationally well over 200 young spin bowlers have participated. The coaches delivering the programme have all played First Class Cricket whilst 6 have International experience