LONDON, (Reuters) – Wicketkeeper Matt Prior, fast bowler Graham Onions and spinner Graeme Swann are among 11 players to have been awarded 12-month central contracts, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said yesterday.
The trio, who all featured in test series wins over Australia and West Indies this year, join James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Ryan Sidebottom, and Andrew Strauss in receiving contracts from Oct. 1.
A further seven players have been awarded England increment contracts: Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Andrew Flintoff, Adil Rashid, Owais Shah, Jonathan Trott and Luke Wright.Players awarded a central contract are paid by the ECB rather than their county. Players awarded an increment contract receive an additional one-off payment from the ECB on top of the salary they receive from their county. “I am delighted that Graham Onions, Matt Prior and Graeme Swann have all been awarded central contracts for the first time,” national selector Geoff Miller said in a statement.
“The decision to award an incremental contract to Andrew Flintoff reflects our view that he will still have an important role to play in our one-day side and we wish him well with his rehabilitation from injury. As we saw in this summer’s Ashes series, he remains a world-class talent.
