Batsman Joe Root was the new addition when the England and Wales Cricket Board announced their 11 centrally contracted players for 2013/14 on Tuesday.
Root, 22, featured throughout England’s recent 3-0 home Ashes series win and scored a Test-best 180 in his side’s crushing 347-run win over Australia in the second match of the series at Lord’s in July.
Now an England regular across all three formats, he replaced Middlesex batsman Eoin Morgan as a centrally-contracted player.
“This reflects the important role Joe has played for England since making his international debut last year,” England national selector Geoff Miller said of Root’s elevation to central contract status.
The other players to be awarded central contracts were James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Test captain Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott.
The timing of Tuesday’s announcement was significant, coming as it did a day before England are due to fly out to Australia for a return Ashes series starting next month.
There had been concerns that protracted talks would not be concluded by the time the players boarded the plane and would be a source of squad unrest.
Instead the make-up of the current deals will now run until 2019 — although individual contracts will still last for 12 months to take account of form and fitness.
Meanwhile the terms are understood to have been enhanced from previous deals following claims by England’s Professional Cricketers’ Association in February that England players were “substantially underpaid” compared to their Australian counterparts.
“I am pleased that we have secured a fair and appropriate long-term agreement, and have done so via amicable and constructive dialogue,” PCA chief executive Angus Porter said on Tuesday.
ECB managing director Hugh Morris added: “We are delighted to have concluded a six-year deal and to have all contractual issues resolved in advance of what we all hope to be another successful Ashes tour.
England are bidding to win a fourth successive Ashes series – something they last achieved in the 19th Century – after successes at home (2009 and 2013) either side of a 3-1 win in Australia in 2010/11.
