Archer earns central contract after scintillating summer
Jofra Archer’s instrumental performances for England in the World Cup and Ashes have led to the paceman being awarded Test and white-ball central contracts for the first time.
Archer followed up being England’s leading wicket-taker in their triumphant World Cup campaign with 22 scalps at an average of 20.27 in four Tests against Australia, while he routinely touched speeds in the mid-90mph range in scintillating debut international summer.
He is one of 10 players to receive a Test deal for the 2019-20 season, as is opener Rory Burns, who cemented his spot at the top of the order with some battling performances in the Ashes.
Spin duo Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid have lost their central Test contracts but are in a list of 12, also including Joe Denly, to be handed white-ball deals.
Moeen was dropped from the World Cup squad towards the end of the group stage before a dismal showing in the Ashes opener, where the all-rounder contributed four runs across two innings and bowled poorly on a helpful Edgbaston surface, led to him being left out of the remainder of the series.
Rashid was a regular for England in the Test side last summer but lost his place during the winter tour of the West Indies and was unused against Australia – although he is a regular in Eoin Morgan’s white-ball set-up.
