Harry Brook is set to be rewarded for his crucial Ashes innings by being handed England’s first ever multi-year central contract, it has been claimed.
Brook scored a vital 75 in England’s second innings in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, helping them beat Australia to stay in the series at 2-1. The 24-year-old batter held together the run-chase, putting on 59 together with Chris Woakes (32 not out) as England got home to win by three wickets.
The innings underlined Brook’s status in the side as he became the quickest player to 1,000 Test runs in terms of balls faced (1,058). And his embracement of the Bazball ethos has impressed England director of cricket, Rob Key, who has lobbied the ECB to change the way they do central contracts.
The Daily Mail reports that Brook will become the first recipient of a multi-year deal when they are dished out in October. Key is alive to the threat from the franchise T20 circuit and wants to incentivise Brook and his peers to prioritise the international game.
The ECB are understood to be on board, and with Brook playing across all three formats, he will become the face of the new system. Currently on an incremental deal, he should increase his basic salary beyond £1million per year, in exchange for a guarantee he will be available for England duty.
Brook starred for Lahore Qalanders in the Pakistan Super League last year and earned £1.3m playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League this year. Under the new terms, he would be allowed to continue playing in the IPL, but other T20 tournaments would likely be off the table.
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Last October the ECB handed out 18 central contracts – worth up to £900,000 – and six incremental deals. Players are then paid £14,500 and £4,500 respectively for each Test and white-ball appearance.
Brook has made four Test centuries in a remarkable start to his international career, but rates his 75 at Headingley as his finest innings so far. “That’s probably No 1, especially in front of my home crowd,” he said.
“Ashes cricket is tough but I went out there with a different mindset. The last couple of innings I’ve got out before that, I felt I was a bit tentative, trying to survive. But I was trying to be as positive as possible and put the pressure on the bowler.”
And his belief in the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum method is unflinching. “The last couple of innings I feel like I’ve got out being stuck on the crease a little bit,” Brook told Sky Sports.
“And I feel like I’m at my best when I’m looking to score and put pressure on the bowler, so I was trying to be a bit more aggressive (in the second innings).
“I hate it when I nick off when I get stuck on the crease, so I’d rather get caught second slip playing a massive drive to be honest – but I’m just glad that I got a few runs.”
