Sidebottom rewarded with central contract but Prior misses out

Prior has featured behind the stumps all summer but his name was missing when the 12 players contracted to the end of the 2008 domestic season were announced this morning.

It is the second year in succession that the England and Wales Cricket Board have not nominated a wicketkeeper for a contract.

After Geraint Jones, Chris Read and Paul Nixon were all used during the winter, Sussex star Prior took over for the West Indies series earlier this year.

He scored a century on Test debut in May but has been inconsistent since. The 25-year-old remains first choice however and is the only keeper named in the 15-man squad for the forthcoming one-day series in Sri Lanka.

He is joined in that party by Nottinghamshire spinner Graeme Swann, who returns to the international fold more than seven years after his solitary one-day international appearance against South Africa.

Swann comes in for fast bowler Chris Tremlett, who drops out after sustaining a foot injury during the recent NatWest Series with India which England won 4-3.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney said: "The selectors were delighted with many aspects of the team's performance including Paul Collingwood's development as a captain, Ian Bell's batting, the energy shown in the field and the significant contributions made by the newer members of the squad; Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Owais Shah and Luke Wright.

"We have retained Luke Wright in the squad to tour Sri Lanka following his impressive debut last week and made one change to the original squad named for The NatWest Series against India with Graeme Swann replacing Chris Tremlett.

"The local conditions in Sri Lanka are, of course, favourable to spin bowling and Graeme's inclusion in the squad will give us the option of fielding two spinners in our starting line-up if required."

Bopara (thumb) and Ryan Sidebottom (side strain) are both included in the squad subject to fitness.

Sidebottom, who has also been awarded a central contract for the first time, is hoping to prove his fitness over the closing weeks of the domestic season.

Sidebottom's contract is reward for an impressive summer after winning a recall six years after his Test debut.

Fellow seamer James Anderson is also named among the 12 contracted players. Graveney added: "The awarding of 12-month central contracts to two new players, James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom is based on the contribution they have made to the team in recent months and their anticipated level of involvement in international cricket during the next year.

"Jimmy Anderson's form in both Test and one-day cricket this summer has been impressive and we are also very pleased with the progress Ryan Sidebottom has made following his return to the international team earlier this season.

"Overall, one less 12-month central contract has been awarded than last year. We can, however, recommend the award of six-month summer contracts to individual players from next April if performances on overseas tours merit this."

Ashley Giles, Simon Jones and Marcus Trescothick drop from the list of contracted players. Giles has now retired, Jones is still battling back from long-term injury while Trescothick has not featured all summer due to the stress-related illness that affected him last winter.

England players awarded central contracts for 2007-08

J Anderson (Lancashire), I Bell (Warwickshire), P Collingwood (Durham), A Cook (Essex), A Flintoff (Lancashire), S Harmison (Durham), M Hoggard (Yorkshire), K Pietersen (Hampshire), M Panesar (Northamptonshire), R Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), A Strauss (Middlesex), M Vaughan (Yorkshire).

England squad for one-day series in Sri Lanka

P Collingwood (Durham, capt), J Anderson (Lancashire), I Bell (Warwickshire), R Bopara (Essex), S Broad (Leicestershire), A Cook (Essex), A Flintoff (Lancashire), D Mascarenhas (Hampshire), M Panesar (Northamptonshire), K Pietersen (Hampshire), M Prior (Sussex), O Shah (Middlesex), R Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), G Swann (Nottinghamshire), L Wright (Sussex).