Ben Stokes is set to give English cricket a major boost by signing a two-year central contract that secures his services through to the 2025-26 Ashes tour. The England Test captain sprung a surprise last year by signing only a one-year deal despite the England and Wales Cricket Board offering multiyear contracts for the first time, with Joe Root, Mark Wood and Harry Brook all committing themselves for three years, and Ollie Pope and Jofra Archer among those signing two-year deals.
The ECB will offer fewer long-term deals this year as it has been left to count the cost of some expensive mistakes 12 months ago. Jonny Bairstow signed a two-year deal worth £800,000 a year last October but has not played for England since the T20 World Cup in June and has little chance of a recall, the ECB paying him more than £1m not to play.
