The identities of the players who have been awarded central contracts by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will be announced on Wednesday, according to a report in the Guardian. And rather than 12 names there are only expected to be 11, although it is believed that the selectors will press for the number of players awarded contracts to be increased at use a meeting of the new international teams management group later this month.

The article says that all the players who played in the third Test at Auckland - with the exception of Mark Ramprakash – would be given contracts with Darren Gough the only addition to the group.

England's captain Nasser Hussain and coach Duncan Fletcher have made no secret of their unhappiness that the number of central contracts is so low, arguing that a minimum of 15 players should be included. Australia hand out 25 such contracts, South Africa 19. "As selectors we have identified 15 Test players we would like contracted this summer, but are restricted to 12 by the Board," Hussain wrote in his column in the Sunday Telegraph. "This is limiting our ability to introduce younger players to the squad and restricting rotating people over a busy summer to ensure we have fresh legs and minds. It is asking us to name our side for the first Test at Lord's in May by the start of April." While ECB chairman Lord MacLaurin admitted to the BBC that the situation was far from ideal, he said that a quick solution was unlikely. "It's not just my decision - we have to talk to a lot of people about it."

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