Ollie Robinson has earned a recall to England’s central contract list after a strong run on his comeback, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announcing an expanded group of 30 centrally contracted players for the 2026-27 season on Monday (October 12).
The 32-year-old Robinson, who last held a central contract in 2023, returns to a list that has grown from 30 contracted men’s players across both central and development categories in 2025-26 to 39 for the upcoming season. The expanded group comprises 30 central contracts and nine development deals.
Tom Banton, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Emilio Gay, Matthew Fisher and Dan Lawrence have earned central contracts for the first time. Sonny Baker has been upgraded to a two-year deal, while Cox and Crocombe have also signed two-year contracts. A total of 11 players have secured deals running until September 30, 2028.
James Coles, Mason Crane, Ben McKinney, Liam Patterson-White, Thomas Rew and Matthew Revis are among the six players to receive their first England development contracts. Crane’s selection comes in the same week that he is set to join an England squad for the first time in more than eight years. Rew, who captained England’s Under-19 side to the final of the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, is the youngest player on the development list at 18.
The contract system covers both red-ball and white-ball cricket, with selections based on players’ prospects of featuring across formats in the coming period as well as their performances over the past year. Former Test captain Ben Stokes, who was offered a two-year deal, is not part of this year’s list having retired from international cricket earlier this summer.
The ECB also confirmed changes to England’s national coaching structure, with Mike Yardy appointed Elite National Batting Lead and Richard Dawson taking up the role of Elite National Spin Bowling Lead. Troy Cooley, who began work earlier this year, continues as Elite National Pace Bowling Lead.
Stephen Fleming, England’s Test head coach, will be supported by Dawson, Marcus Trescothick, James Foster and Eric Simons. Brendon McCullum’s white-ball coaching staff will include Sarah Taylor, Jeetan Patel and Tim Southee, with Kevin Pietersen taking up a specialist mentor role.
The coaching teams will be in place for England’s upcoming tours of South Africa for Test cricket and Australia for white-ball cricket.
England’s central contract list for 2026-27
Joe Root, Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Ollie Robinson, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue
England development contract list for 2026-27
James Coles, Mason Crane, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Ben McKinney, Liam Patterson-White, Thomas Rew, Matthew Revis, Mitch Stanley