Bairstow loses Test central contract for 2020-21

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Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow has not been given an England central contract for Test cricket in 2020-21.
Yorkshire’s Bairstow, 31, who was not selected for the summer’s Test series with West Indies and Pakistan, remains contracted for limited-overs cricket.
Batsmen Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Dom Sibley all receive a Test central contract for the first time.
All-rounder Tom Curran has been given a white-ball contract, while Kent batsman Joe Denly misses out altogether.
Denly had previously held a limited-overs contract.
Meanwhile, spinner Dom Bess, seamer Chris Jordan and batsman Dawid Malan – previously uncontracted – will receive incremental deals.
The contracts, handed to a total of 23 players, start on 1 October and run for 12 months.
England director of men’s cricket Ashley Giles said missing out on a Test contract was a “knock” for Bairstow but that he still has “a really important part to play in the future of English Test cricket”.
“It’s a tough call to make because Jonny has been a very good servant for the team,” said Giles.
“He’s taken it as well as you can expect – it’s hard news to hear for someone who has played so much cricket for England across all forms but he was absolutely fine and he does truly still have a desire to play Test cricket.
“He’s one of our most dangerous players in white-ball cricket and we’ll do everything we can to support him getting back into the Test team.”
Players on the Test and white-ball contracts will have their salaries, which are calculated by a ranking system based on performance, fitness and other factors, paid in full by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
However, the ECB says there could be an impact on how much players are paid as a result of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with levels of remuneration currently being finalised.

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