England hand central contract to Jacob Bethell as Ben Stokes future confirmed ahead of Ashes
Ben Stokes commits future to England Test team ahead of Ashes
- Jacob Bethell, 22, has been awarded a two-year central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) following a breakthrough year.
- Bethell's impressive performance included becoming England men’s youngest captain for a T20 series against Ireland and scoring a quick-fire half-century in New Zealand.
- A total of 30 players received central contracts, with 14, including Bethell, Ben Stokes, and Adil Rashid, securing two-year deals.
- Test-only players such as Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were given one-year contracts, alongside several newly contracted players like Sonny Baker and Liam Dawson.
- Rob Key, managing director of England men’s cricket, explained that the contract structure aims to manage player workloads and ensure England remains a priority amidst the growing franchise calendar.