‘Important’ Root earns England central contract

The 22-year-old played a starring role in England’s Ashes-winning summer and the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced that he joins 10 other players in being awarded deals up to the end of September 2014.

National selector Geoff Miller said: “Congratulations to Joe Root who is the one addition to the list of players awarded a central contract and this reflects the important role Joe has played for England since making his international debut last year and will I’m sure continue to play across all formats.”

The other players to be awarded contracts are James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Steven Finn, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott.

The statement from the ECB also confirmed that negotiations had been concluded successfully on the arrangements for England contracts for a period lasting until October 2019, to include four Ashes series and five ICC global events.

ECB managing director Hugh Morris said: “We are delighted to have concluded a six-year deal and to have all contractual issues resolved.

“We thank the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), Team England Player Partnership and the ECB Board for reaching this agreement which allows the players to focus solely on cricket, not just during this tour, but for a considerable period beyond.”

Yorkshire’S Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor batted New Zealand into a promising position on a rain-shortened second day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 282 in the morning session, losing their last five wickets for 54 runs as Neil Wagner finished with 5-64.

Shakib Al Hasan removed Kiwi openers Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton in his first two overs to leave the tourists 32-2 at lunch, but Williamson, who will return for a full season at Headingley next year after impressing towards the tail-end of the 2013 campaign, was 28 not out with Taylor unbeaten on 37 as the Black Caps reached 107-3 before the weather intervened.

n South Africa will be without key batsman Hashim Amla – who is in Durban awaiting the birth of his second child – for the second Test against Pakistan while there is also an injury doubt surrounding premier fast bowler Dale Steyn.

Losing world No 1-ranked bowler Steyn on top of Amla, who tops the ICC’s batting rankings, would be a huge blow for the Proteas, who need to win in Dubai to claim a share of the two-Test series.