Harry Brook, Joe Root and Mark Wood sign three-year central contracts with the ECB… but Ben Stokes is one of eight stars to remain on an annual deal

• The ECB announced their first batch of multi-year central contracts for players
• Multi-year contracts are viewed as a way to exert greater control on their stars 
• Ben Stokes is among the players to remain on an annual contract with the ECB 

Harry Brook, Joe Root and Mark Wood are the big winners after the ECB announced their first batch of multi-year central contracts in a bid to exert greater control over their cricketers in the era of T20 franchises.

The trio have all signed three-year deals – the first made available by the board since the contracts system was introduced in 2000. But Ben Stokes is one of eight players to sign only a one-year contract, reflecting not so much the state of his left knee as his ability to dictate fresh terms to the administrators on an annual basis.

David Willey is the only member of England’s 15-man World Cup squad – 16, if you include Brydon Carse, who has replaced the injured Reece Topley – not on the list.

Of the 15 players offered two-year deals, the eye-catching names are teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, fast bowler Jofra Archer, whose injury-hit international career has allowed him to play just seven white-ball matches since March 2021, and Surrey quick Gus Atkinson.

Topley, meanwhile, has received a one-year deal, along with Moeen Ali, James Anderson and Dawid Malan.

Harry Brook is one of three England stars to sign a three-year central contract with the ECB

Joe Root and Mark Wood have also become the first players to pen three year contracts 

England star Ben Stokes is one of eight players to sign only a one-year contract with the ECB

Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director men’s cricket 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.’

The contracts run retrospectively from October 1.

Three-year contracts: Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Two-year contracts: Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Brydon 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), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

One-year 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).

Development contracts: Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), John Turner (Hampshire).

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