The 17 players awarded central contracts by the England and Wales Cricket Board have been confirmed, with Mahika Gaur and Lauren Filer moving up from development deals.
Seven players – including Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone – have been handed two-year contracts, with 10 players receiving one-year deals.
Tammy Beaumont, Alice Capsey and Sarah Glenn are among the players on single-year contracts.
Gaur and Filer were on development contracts last year.
Tash Farrant and Emma Lamb have lost their England contracts, while 22-year-old bowler Issy Wong now has a skills/development contract after being on a full deal last year.
Wong has struggled in recent years with her run-up and rhythm but made her England return in the series against Ireland in September, taking her first international wicket since December 2022.
Surrey seamer Ryana MacDonald-Gay joins Wong and Durham’s Bess Heath on a development deal after the 20-year-old made her debut at international level in the Ireland series and being included in the squad for England’s South Africa tour.
The players on central ECB contacts
Two-year central contracts
Lauren Bell (Hampshire)
Charlie Dean (Somerset)
Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire)
Amy Jones (The Blaze)
Heather Knight (Somerset)
Nat Sciver-Brunt (The Blaze)
Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Surrey)
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Watch Tammy Beaumont’s match-winning four as England wrapped up an ODI series victory over South Africa in Potchefstroom.
One-year central contracts
Tammy Beaumont (The Blaze)
Maia Bouchier (Hampshire)
Alice Capsey (Surrey)
Kate Cross (Lancashire)
Sophia Dunkley (Surrey)
Lauren Filer (Durham)
Mahika Gaur (Lancashire)
Danielle Gibson (Somerset)
Sarah Glenn (The Blaze)
Freya Kemp (Hampshire)
Skills/development contracts
Bess Heath (Durham)
Ryana MacDonald-Gay (Surrey)
Issy Wong (Warwickshire)
“As ever, we have awarded central contracts to the players we feel will play a significant role for England in the foreseeable future,” said Clare Connor, the managing director of England Women’s Cricket.
“We are delighted that Mahika Gaur and Lauren Filer have transitioned on to full contracts, having been part of our group over the past year.
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England off-spinner Charlie Dean took a hat-trick against South Africa in the second ODI, dismissing Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta for ducks.
“Ryana MacDonald-Gay has had an outstanding year, and the development contract affords her the opportunity to continue to push her claim for selection. We look forward to working with all three players on development contracts and their Counties to ensure they continue their development.
“We have another significant period of cricket ahead and we believe this group of players have the skills to be successful in all conditions and formats which will be essential as we look forward to a two-year period that includes the Women’s Ashes in early 2025, multiple bilateral series, the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India, and a home ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the summer of 2026.”
On the award of seven two-year deals, Emma Reid, England player partnership management board member, said: “It is positive to see multi-year agreements, showing long term commitment from the ECB and also the players who continue to prioritise representing their country.
“We are pleased to have worked with the ECB and the players to achieve the priorities of being well supported in their England careers.”