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LONDON, Sept 11: Eight players have been awarded central contracts by England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in a deal which could net each of them as much as 400,000 pounds over the next year.
The days of top cricketers being the “poor relations” of international sports appear to be long gone.
For five of the eight - Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain, Mark Butcher, Ashley Giles and Marcus Trescothick - the contracts were just a renewal of the existing situation, but three - James Anderson, Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff - receive one for the first time.
Given that the original purpose of central contracts was to try and protect players from daily grind of county cricket and ensure they are at their peak when playing for England, it is a little surprising that only two - Flintoff and Anderson - are fast bowlers.
The only other bowler on the list is Giles, a selection which owes more to his role as a utility Test and ODI player than any outstanding performances over last 12 months.
England 2004 schedule
Npower Test Series v New Zealand
Thu 20 - Mon 24 May 1st Test Lord’s
Thu 3 - Mon 7 June 2nd Test Headingley
Thu 10 - Mon 14 June 3rd Test Trent Bridge
NatWest Series
Thu 24 June Eng v NZ (d/n) Old Trafford
Sat 26 June NZ v WI Edgbaston
Sun 27 June Eng v WI Trent Bridge
Tue 29 June Eng v NZ (d/n) Chester-le-Street
Thu 1 July Eng v WI (d/n) Headingley
Sat 3 July NZ v WI Cardiff
Sun 4 July Eng v NZ Bristol
Tue 6 July Eng v WI Lord’s
Thu 8 July NZ v WI Southampton
Sat 10 July Final Lord’s
Sun 11 July Reserve day
Npower Test Series v West Indies
Thu 22-Mon 26 July 1st Test Lord’s
Thu 29 July - 2 Aug 2nd Test Edgbaston
Thu 12-Mon 16 Aug 3rd Test Old Trafford
Thu 19-Mon 23 Aug 4th Test The Oval
Domestic cricket showpieces
Sat 7 Aug Twenty20 Final Edgbaston*
Sun 8 Aug Reserve day
Sat 28 Aug C&G Final Lord’s
Sun 29 Aug Reserve day
NatWest Challenge - opposition to be confirmed
Tue 31 Aug 1st ODI TBC
Thu 2 Sept
2nd ODI The Oval
Sat 4 Sept 3rd ODI Lord’s
ICC Champions Trophy - schedule and three venues to be confirmed
Wed 8 Sept Opening match
Sat 25 Sept Final.—PPI
