Morgan is back among the list of centrally contracted players

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have awarded ODI captain Eoin Morgan and pace bowler Mark Wood central contracts for their outstanding performances as of late.

Morgan scored 278 runs, which included three half-centuries, at an average of 69.50 during the recent ODI series against Australia, while Wood took 10 wickets during the Ashes series against the Baggy Greens, including the series-clinching wicket in the fourth Test in Nottingham.

“I’m chuffed to bits. It’s a great reward for a long summer’s cricket,” Wood told Sky Sports. “Results have been good and this is the icing on top of the cake.

“I’m still pinching myself. The whole series was just manic, and I can’t believe that moment’s happened to me and will go down in history.”

ECB director of cricket Andrew Strauss added: “We congratulate Mark Wood on winning a central contract for the first time. This award reflects his excellent performances for England this summer and our expectation that he will have a role to play in all three formats of the international game over the next 12 months.

“Eoin Morgan’s award reflects his status as captain of our limited overs teams and the wider importance we place on white-ball cricket as we prepare for a busy period of T20 and One-Day International cricket over the next twelve months including the World T20 tournament in India next year.”

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that batsman Gary Ballance and the pace duo of Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan have lost their central contracts and been given incremental contracts instead.

ECB central contracts: Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood

Incremental contracts: Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, James Taylor