The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the Central Contract offers for England Men’s international cricket for the year from 1 October, 2023.
Yorkshire’s Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonathan Bairstow and Adil Rashid have been awarded multi-year ECB contracts, while Dawid Malan picked up an annual contract and Matthew Fisher secured a development contract.
The system, which covers both red-ball and white-ball players, considers the likelihood of players featuring in England teams across formats over the next period while recognising performances in the preceding year.
Yorkshire’s Harry Brook poses with the cinch PCA Men’s Player of the Year award at Lord’s Cricket Ground on September 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images for PCA)
Multi-year contracts have been awarded for the first time since central contracts were established in 2000. The ECB has worked closely with the Professional Cricketers’ Association and Team England Player Partnership on behalf of the players to reach an outcome for all parties.
In total, 29 players have received Central Contract offers – 18 England Multi-Year Central Contracts, eight England Annual Central Contracts, and three England Development Contracts.
England Three-Year Central Contracts:
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)
England Two-Year Central Contracts:
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Jofra Archer (Sussex)
Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Bryson Carse (Durham)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Liam Livingstone (Lancashire)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire – from 1 November)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
England One-Year Central Contracts:
Moeen Ali (Warwickshire)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Ben Foakes (Surrey)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Reece Topley (Surrey)
England Development Contracts:
Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
John Turner (Hampshire)
Seven players (Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue) receive an England Central Contract offer for the first time. Yorkshire batter Dawid Malan also returns to an annual contract after missing out last year.
Matthew Fisher, Saqib Mahmood and John Turner are offered Development Contracts to support the development of high-potential talent.
Yorkshire’s Matthew Fisher celebrates dismissing Derbyshire’s Aruj Dal during the LV=Insurance County Championship -Divison Two clash against Derbyshire County Cricket Club at North Marine Road, Scarborough, this year.
Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key, said: “We are rewarding those players who we expect to make a significant impact over the coming years playing for England.
“It is great news and a credit to the players for demonstrating their commitment to English cricket in the ever-changing landscape of the sport.
“I would like to congratulate all the players who have been offered contracts. They will play a pivotal role in England’s efforts over the next few years.”
