Prior, Onions and Swann given England central contracts

LONDON, (Reuters) – Wicketkeeper Matt Prior, fast  bowler Graham Onions and spinner Graeme Swann are among 11  players to have been awarded 12-month central contracts, the  England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said yesterday.

The trio, who all featured in test series wins over  Australia and West Indies this year, join James Anderson, Ian  Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Kevin  Pietersen, Ryan Sidebottom, and Andrew Strauss in receiving  contracts from Oct. 1.

A further seven  players have been awarded England increment  contracts: Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Andrew Flintoff, Adil  Rashid, Owais Shah, Jonathan Trott and Luke Wright.Players awarded a central contract are paid by the ECB  rather than their county. Players awarded an increment contract  receive an additional one-off payment from the ECB on top of the  salary they receive from their county. “I am delighted that Graham Onions, Matt Prior and Graeme  Swann have all been awarded central contracts for the first  time,” national selector Geoff Miller said in a statement.

“The decision to award an incremental contract to Andrew  Flintoff reflects our view that he will still have an important  role to play in our one-day side and we wish him well with his  rehabilitation from injury. As we saw in this summer’s Ashes  series, he remains a world-class talent.