Berkshire Cricket appoints new leadership team ahead of 2026 season
Following an internal review led by Head of Performance Neal Robinson, Berkshire Cricket has established a new leadership structure for the Men’s 1st XI as the county looks ahead to an exciting new chapter.
As part of this new structure, Johnny Connell has been appointed T20 Captain. Johnny has already made 63 appearances for Berkshire Men’s 1st XI, scoring six centuries, and is currently playing 2nd XI cricket with Essex County Cricket Club. At just 23, his appointment marks the beginning of a promising leadership journey and reflects the club’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.
Andy Rishton will take on the captaincy in both the 50-over and three-day formats. Since making his debut in 2014, Andy has been a standout performer in NCCA cricket, amassing 220 wickets and 3,871 runs across 163 matches. His experience and consistency make him ideally placed to lead the side in the longer formats.
Together, Johnny and Andy will guide Berkshire into a new era, building on strong foundations and continuing to drive high standards across the group.
Berkshire Cricket can also confirm that Bjorn Mordt will oversee the side as Head Coach for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Bjorn will continue to play a key role in shaping the Men’s 1st XI environment, supporting both performance and player development.
Men’s 1st XI Head Coach Bjorn Mordt said:
“I’m delighted to be working with two outstanding individuals in Andy and Johnny. Andy inherits a talented squad and a strong winning culture, and his ambition is clear — to build on that success and bring more titles to Berkshire. With a young and gifted group of players coming through, this is a great opportunity to continue developing the next generation while driving performance on the field. Johnny is a natural leader and has been a standout batter not only for Berkshire but across National Counties cricket in recent seasons. His attacking instincts make him well suited to leading our T20 side, and it’s an exciting time for both him and the club.”
Head of Performance Neal Robinson said:
“We’re really excited to see this young group develop, with Bjorn, Johnny and Andy fully aligned with our vision. Our focus is on creating an environment where Berkshire players can thrive, push towards the professional game, and consistently compete at the highest level in NCCA cricket. Over the past year, Bjorn has shown a real commitment to the journey we want to take this group — and our future players — on, and it made him the obvious choice to continue leading and guiding this team forward.”
The new leadership group will take charge immediately, with attention turning to the start of the 2026 season.
Berkshire open their campaign this weekend with the traditional Marlborough Cup clash against Wiltshire, providing an early opportunity for the new leadership team to take to the field.
The 50-over competition then gets underway on Saturday 26 April, with Berkshire travelling to face Hertfordshire in their opening fixture.
Everyone at Berkshire Cricket wishes Johnny, Andy and the wider group every success for the season ahead.