The England and Wales Cricket Board have announced a restructuring of the central contract system, which comes into effect for the 2016-2017 period. Under the new system, which has been agreed with the Team England Player Partnership (TEPP), England selectors have awarded 10 Test contracts and 11 White Ball contracts. Test specialists and those playing in all forms of the game will have their salaries paid in full by the ECB. Those on White Ball contracts will receive their supplement on top of their County salary. From those centrally contracted in 2015/6, eight players remain on contract, while Jonny Bairstow has been presented with a Test contract. Chris Woakes is one of four players, alongside Moeen Ali, Joe Root and...
Jack Brooks wins the second in our series of features on the best players in the Specsavers County Championship this season, after we took a look at four impressive fast bowlers... BEST FAST BOWLER: Racing onto your timeline are our contenders for fast bowler of 2016. It wasn't easy to select just four, but who do you think is the best? pic.twitter.com/WxQUwqM0yx — County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 27, 2016 KEITH BARKER Once more experienced Warwickshire all-rounder Keith Barker demonstrated his reliability with the ball, finishing 2016 with his highest tally of Championship wickets. A focus on red-ball cricket paid dividends, allowing him to stay fresh and play in all 16 matches, as he collected 59 scalps and ensured Warwickshire stayed...
Ben Duckett is voted the 2016 Specsavers County Championship best batsman, as we look at four contenders from a new generation that rose to prominence in this summer... KEATON JENNINGS Perhaps the story of the season, not least because his previous best return was 707 in 2013. This year, Jennings broke new ground with 1548 Championship runs, with a rather ridiculous seven (7!) hundreds helping him to an average of 64.50. He proved crucial to Durham’s survival and is benefitting from greater clarity at the crease. BEN DUCKETT“Freakish”. That is the word that sums up Ben Duckett’s season, both against the red and white ball. As well as leading Division Two with 1338 runs, he showed that there is a...
As a new generation of batsmen ruled the Specsavers County Championship roost, we look at four who rose to prominence in 2016… KEATON JENNINGS Perhaps the story of the season, not least because his previous best return was 707 in 2013. This year, Jennings broke new ground with 1548 Championship runs, with a rather ridiculous seven (7!) hundreds helping him to an average of 64.50. He proved crucial to Durham’s survival and is benefitting from greater clarity at the crease. BEN DUCKETT“Freakish”. That is the word that sums up Ben Duckett’s season, both against the red and white ball. As well as leading Division Two with 1338 runs, he showed that there is a place in the long-form grind for...
Teenage Lancashire batsman Haseeb Hameed capped a memorable month by picking up the Young Player award at the 2016 Asian Cricket Awards. Hameed, 19, was recently called up to the England Test squad for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh and is in line to become the youngest player to represent the country since Brian Close turned out against New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1949. “It’s great to be picked for England. It’s surreal, it moved really quickly,” Hameed said after picking up his award. “I’d never have dreamed about being picked 12 months ago. Alastair Cook has been in touch to say congratulations, but I’m really looking forward to meeting and working with the team. I have to make...
