ECB announces central contracts, seven players sign two-year term

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the latest men's central contracts for the 2024/25 season. The governing body has handed central contracts to 29 players with seven players bagging two-year contracts, 19 players getting one-year contract and three players signing England Development Contracts.

The white-ball and red-ball captains - Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes have signed two-year contracts. Former captain Joe Root, Harry Brook, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and newcomer Jamie Smith are the other five players who have signed two-year contracts.

T20 World Cup winner Chris Jordan has not been given a central contract alongside his pace bowling partner Ollie Robinson. Jordan was a part of England's T20 World Cup 2024 squad. Left-arm orthodox spinner Tom Hartley has also not been awarded a central contract.

Tearaway pacer Jofra Archer who was a part of England's 2024 T20 World Cup squad and who is being carefully managed by the board, has been given an annual contract. Archer was a part of England's squad during the recently culminated white-ball series against Australia on home



soil.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is managing Archer's workload with utmost caution and doesn't want him to rush into the red-ball format.

England players with two-year central contracts:

Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey)*, Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Wood (Durham)

England players with one-year central contracts:

Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)*, Brydon Carse (Durham), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey)*, Jack Leach (Somerset), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Matthew Potts (Durham), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Phil Salt (Lancashire)*, Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire)*, Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), Reece Topley (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

England Development contracts:

Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)*, Josh Hull (Leicestershire)*, John Turner (Hampshire)

* - Newly contracted player for the 2024/2025 season