Trott, Onions and Rashid given ECB contracts

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the list of centrally contracted players for the 2009/10 season, with batsman Jonathan Trott and bowler Graham Onions both included.

Onions is named among 11 players given full, 12-month central contracts, alongside spinner Graeme Swann and wicketkeeper Matt Prior – all of whom played major parts in England's Ashes-winning Test squad this summer.

Trott, who made a century on debut in the fifth and final Test against Australia, has been given an incremental contract with a view to his continued involvement in the international set-up.

Developing all-rounder Adil Rashid has also been given an incremental contract along with retiring Test player Andrew Flintoff, who is expected to be involved in one-dayer and Twenty20 internationals when he returns from knee surgery.

However there is no place in the list for spinner Monty Panesar, who appears to have fallen behind Rasid in the England pecking order, while veteran pace bowler Steve Harmison also misses out.

National selector Geoff Miller said: 'I am delighted that Graham Onions, Matt Prior and Graeme Swann have all been awarded 12-month central contracts for the first time.

'Central contracts are designed to reward players who perform well consistently for England and all three have made a very significant contribution to the team's recent success in regaining the Ashes and beating West Indies at home in both Test and one-day series.'

Flintoff does not qualify for a full central contract as he will no longer take part in Test match cricket for England.

But Miller said the decision to hand him an incremental contract - despite fears over his long-term fitness levels - was taken because of the ECB's belief that he will 'still have an important role to play'.

'We wish him well with his rehabilitation from injury,' Miller added.

'As we saw in this summer's Ashes Test series, he remains a world-class talent.'

The other players awarded full central contracts are James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Ryan Sidebottom and captain Andrew Strauss.

In addition to Flintoff, Rashid and Trott, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Owais Shah and Luke Wright have all been awarded incremental deals with the ECB.