Liam Plunkett, a key member of England’s World Cup-winning side, was a surprise absentee as the ECB announced their men’s contracts for the next year.
England contracts are allocated in two strands: Test and white-ball, with some players listed on both. Test specialists have their contract paid in full by the ECB, and the same will apply to the white-ball deals from February 1st. Each players pay is calculated through a ranking which takes into account performance and other factors, including off-field contribution.
The big winners were Jofra Archer, who earned a Test and white-ball contract through his Ashes and World Cup performances, and Rory Burns, who now has a Test contract.
The long international career of Plunkett, who will be 35 by the start of next summer, appears to be coming to an end as he joined Alex Hales, who missed the World Cup following two failed drugs tests, and David Willey in losing white-ball deals.
Plunkett, who joined Surrey on a three-year deal this summer, took a vital three for 42 in the World Cup final and 11 wickets in seven matches in the tournament. He has played well over 100 times across formats since debuting in 2005, and has been a key figure in the white-ball revolution that has taken place since 2015, culminating in the World Cup win.
Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, who have both been dropped from the Test side this year, lose their Test deals but remain on white-ball deals. Joe Denly, who has a place in the Test side, has been awarded a white-ball deal, as has Mark Wood.
That Eoin Morgan also has a white-ball contract is the strongest indication yet that he will continue as ODI and T20 captain through until next year’s World T20, and sign a new deal with Middlesex. He does, though, appear to have played his final Championship match for them.
Archer is one of six players on both lists, alongside Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes. Sam Curran joins Burns, Stuart Broad and James Anderson in holding a Test-only deal.
Tom Curran and Jack Leach have been awarded Incremental deals, which sit below the main contracts and are paid in addition to their county salary.
England name their squad for the five T20s and two Tests in New Zealand on Monday, and it will be interesting to see if Plunkett, Willey or Hales make the former party.
Dominic Sibley, who scored his fifth century of the season for Warwickshire on Thursday (and has eight tons in his most recent 17 first-class matches), is set to be called up to the Test squad for the first time, with Ollie Pope also returning.
Tom Banton, the Somerset batsman, and Saqib Mahmood, the Lancashire quick, are expected to earn maiden call-ups to the T20 squad. Mahmood is one of a number of fast bowlers – Olly Stone is another – set to be awarded specialist deals so the ECB cannot take greater control of their workload and management.
Contract lists
Test Match
James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).
ODI/T20
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Joe Denly (Kent), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).
Incremental
Tom Curran (Surrey), Jack Leach (Somerset)
