England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been awarded a central contract despite the ongoing police investigation about his Bristol brawl. Stokes is currently suspended indefinitely on full pay while the police investigate the matter. He was one among eight players who have been awarded Test contracts.
ENGLAND NEWS
Stokes retains central contract; Finn axed
Stokes is one of eight England players who have been handed a Test contract © Getty
There are no surprises among the other seven players who have been awarded Test contracts with Mark Wood and Finn removed from last year's list of ten players. The ECB's decision to reduce the number of Test contracts this year is recognition, perhaps, that the five-day side remains in a state of flux and that there are a number of positions up for grabs.
Like Stokes, the ECB have also given Hales a central contract although he has been given a ODI/T20 only deal. Hales, too, is not available for England selection until the outcome of the police investigation is known and it remains to be seen whether his deal to play for Stellenbosch Monarchs in South Africa's Global T20 League this winter can be fulfilled.
The limited overs contract was brought in last year by Strauss as a way of giving more prominence to England's white ball specialists. The ECB pay a certain amount to each player which is then supplemented by wages from the player's county. Wood, who was not selected for the Ashes squad after failing to recover from a foot injury, has been given such a deal for the next year but Finn has not been given a deal at all.
The ECB have awarded 14 limited overs contracts in all with Ball being included for the first time. Stokes, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Chris and Jonny Bairstow are the four players who have been awarded both a Test and a White Ball deal. Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones, who has been ruled out of the Ashes because of a stress fracture of the back, has been awarded an incremental contract by virtue of his recent appearances for England.
The Centrally Contracted players for 2017-18 are:
Test Match
Moeen AliJames AndersonJonny BairstowStuart BroadAlastair CookJoe RootBen StokesChris Woakes
ODI/T20
Moeen AliJake BallJonny BairstowJos ButtlerAlex HalesEoin MorganLiam PlunkettAdil RashidJason RoyBen StokesDavid WilleyChris WoakesMark Wood
Incremental
Toby Roland-Jones
© Cricbuzz
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