LONDON: Injured all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was awarded an incremental contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the next 12 months here today.

Flintoff, 31, who is recovering from knee surgery, did not qualify for a full central contract as he retired from Test cricket after the end of the Ashes series win over Australia. But fellow Ashes winners wicketkeeper Matt Prior, off-spinner Graeme Swann and pace bowler Graham Onions are among the 11 players awarded the lucrative full, annual deals, worth as much as £250,000, which give England coach Andy Flower say over when and where his leading players play.

But fast bowler Stephen Harmison and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar have been completely overlooked while former captain Michael Vaughan's retirement means he no longer has a central contract. England captain Andrew Strauss and injured batsman Kevin Pietersen were among those given a full central contract.

National selector Geoff Miller said: "I am delighted Graham Onions, Matt Prior and Graeme Swann have all been awarded 12-month central contracts for the first time. "Central contracts are designed to reward players who perform well consistently for England and all three have made a very significant contribution to the team's recent success in regaining the Ashes and beating West Indies at home in both Test and one-day series," the former England off-spinner added.

Turning to Flintoff, who wants to continue his one-day international career, Miller said: "Following his retirement from Test cricket, Andrew Flintoff is no longer eligible for a 12-month central contract. "The decision to award an incremental contract to Andrew reflects our view that he will still have an important role to play in our one-day side going forward and we wish him well with his rehabilitation from injury. As we saw in this summer's Ashes Test series, he remains a world-class talent."

As well as Flintoff, paceman Tim Bresnan, leg-spinner Adil Rashid and batsman Jonathan Trott, who all made their debuts in various forms of international cricket this year, have been awarded incremental contracts. So too have Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah, who both, along with Flintoff, were selected by teams in the cash-rich Indian Premier League this year. The contracts run from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010.

Collingwood, Anderson rested

LONDON: England stars Paul Collingwood and James Anderson will be rested for the next three and two matches respectively in the current one-day international (ODI) series against Australia.

Batsman Collingwood and pace bowler Anderson have not missed an England fixture since early February and will finally get a chance to rest their weary limbs after being told they can leave the squad preparing for Saturday's match at Lord's.

Although England are 3-0 down in the seven-match

series and need a victory

on Saturday to have any chance of winning the

series, it was decided that the strain of such a heavy schedule in the aftermath of the Ashes triumph has taken its toll on the duo.

Former England one-day captain Collingwood will return for the final match of the campaign at Chester-le-Street next weekend. Anderson, meanwhile, will join up with the squad again for the second of back-to-back day-nighters at Trent Bridge. — AFP