Yorkshire Test stars Darren Gough, Michael Vaughan and Craig White are among an elite group of 12 players who were today given new six-month central contracts by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The squad was being announced from Lord's and each member will earn up to £70,000 as well as standing to rake in substantial amounts from winnings bonusus.

The inclusion of White and the omission of Chris Silverwood is something of a surprise, but the squad - smaller than had been thought - is solely for the Test series this summer against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

Silverwood may find he is signed up for the one-day internationals when that squad is announced at a future date.

Counties will only be sure of the services of their ECB contracted players for Benson and Hedges Cup and NatWest Trophy games, but the clubs will receive £50,000 in compensation for each player named.

It's not a bad deal for Yorkshire because Test matches and one-day internationals eat so deeply into the summer these days that the England players in their ranks would hardly be any more available for county duty under the old system.

The contracts mean that England will have much greater control over their squad and will be largely responsible for their training and fitness programmes.

Although Gough had only a moderate winter in South Africa with England, he is still very much their star player and was an automatic choice for a central contract.

Vaughan, in particular, had an excellent tour, first of all showing he had the big match temperament which is essential for crease occupation in Test matches and then displaying a glorious range of shots to lead England to victory in the final rain-hit game of the series.

Paceman Silverwood seized his opportunity when he was drafted in from the England A tour of New Zealand to replace the injured Dean Headley and he menaced South Africa with his extra speed off the pitch, but he must still not be considered a permanent Test choice.

White, however, has had his international career revitalised and at the end of last summer he could never have dreamed that he would now be one of England's top 12 selections.

He was unexpectedly called up for the one-dayers in South Africa and Zimbabwe in place of Andy Flintoff, who came home with a foot injury, and he turned in some encouraging all-round performances.

Yorkshire's fifth England tourist this winter was Gavin Hamilton who needs to pick up the threads again after he was left in the cold following a nightmare debut in the first Test in South Africa when he bagged a pair and failed to take a wicket.

He remains one of England's leading one-day, prospects, however, and must be in the running for a contract later on.

Yorkshire provide a quarter of England's newly contracted players, as do Lancashire who provide Michael Atherton, Chris Schofield and Flintoff.

The rest of the squad are captain Nasser Hussain (Essex), Mark Ramprakash (Middlesex), Graeme Hick (Worcestershire), Alec Stewart (Surrey), Dean Headley (Kent) and Andy Caddick (Somerset).

Not only Yorkshire's Test players had cricket on their minds today because the whole of the playing staff reported back for training at the David Lloyd fitness centre in Leeds.

They were using the occasion to get into shape for their pre-season tour of Australia which begins tomorrow week and lasts until April 5, Yorkshire flying home just ten days before the start of the new season.

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