Sports · Cricket · 4 hrs ago
England name 39 players on men’s central and development contracts
The England and Wales Cricket Board has named 39 players for its men’s central and development contracts for 2026/27.
The list includes 30 players on full central contracts and nine on development contracts, nine more deals than last year.
Ben Stokes and Mark Wood are absent after retiring from international cricket.
Eleven players have been given two-year central contracts, including Henry Crocombe, who has not yet made his international debut.
Eight players on the full list did not have contracts in 2025/26, and two-thirds of the development-contract group are receiving deals for the first time.
The contracts include several pace bowlers, reflecting the board’s stated aim of keeping closer control of their coaching and workloads.
The deals cover the next 12 months.
England have named 39 players on men’s central and development contracts for 2026/27, nine more than last year.
The list includes 30 centrally contracted players and nine with development contracts.
Ben Stokes is absent after retiring from international cricket earlier this summer, while Mark Wood has also retired.
Ollie Robinson has returned to the central-contract list after taking 28 wickets in his Test comeback this summer.
The contracts include two-year deals for 11 centrally contracted players.
- Who
- England’s men’s cricket team and the 39 contracted players.
- What
- England named 30 central-contract players and nine development-contract players for 2026/27.
- When
- The list was published on 12 October 2026 and covers the next 12 months.
- Where
- England.
- Why
- The ECB said the expanded contracts for fringe pace bowlers reflect an intent to keep them under tighter coaching and workload management control.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
No direct quotes in the coverage so far.
Ben Stokes retired from international cricket.
Ollie Robinson made his Test comeback and took 28 wickets at an average of 9.32.
England’s 39-player central and development contract list was published.
- Total players
- 39
- Central contracts
- 30
- Development contracts
- 9
- Expansion from last year
- 9 players
- Two-year central deals
- 11
- Ollie Robinson’s Test comeback
- 28 wickets at an average of 9.32
Sources
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