ECB announces central contracts: England’s Stokes, Buttler sign two-year deals

Five players have signed England central contracts for the first time under a new multi-year system that was introduced last year.

File photo: England’s Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler have both signed extensions and are now contracted on two-year deals. | Photo Credit: AP

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), on Thursday, announced the updated central contract list for England men’s international cricket.

A total of 29 players have England men central contracts - seven England two-year central contracts, 19 England annual central contracts, and three England development contracts.

England men’s captains Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler have both signed extensions and are now contracted on two-year deals. Test captain Stokes was previously on a one-year contract and white-ball captain Buttler was on a two-year contract.

Five players have signed England central contracts for the first time under a new multi-year system that was introduced last year. Jamie Smith (Surrey) has signed a two-year contract while Will Jacks (Surrey), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Phil Salt (Lancashire) and Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire) have signed one-year contracts.

A further three players who were already contracted have also renewed with Gus Atkinson (Surrey) signing a two-year contract while Jack Leach (Somerset) and Reece Topley (Surrey) have agreed on a further one-year contract each.

Managing Director of England men’s cricket, Rob Key, in a statement, said, “The strength and depth of talent across England Men’s red and white-ball cricket is clear in the quality of players who are centrally contracted.”

“These contracts reward the players we believe will play an important role for our England men’s teams. Both our captains, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, have signed two-year central contracts that showcase the commitment of all the players to prioritise playing for their country,” he added.

England 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 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)

*Denotes newly-contracted player for 2024/2025