Linsey Smith earns her maiden England Women’s central contract after seven years | CricTracker

Linsey Smith has earned her maiden full central contract with England Women, seven years after making her international debut, while Em Arlott and Emma Lamb have been awarded skills contracts for the first time. In the England Cricket Board’s (ECB) 2025-26 list of 17 full central contracts, 10 players have received one-year deals, with a further seven entering the second year of their existing two-year terms.

Joining Smith on one-year contracts are Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, and Freya Kemp. Those entering the second year of ongoing deals include Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Heather Knight, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge.

There were no surprises in the selections, with Kate Cross, England’s long-serving seam bowler, omitted after revealing in September that her contract would not be renewed, bringing an international stint of nearly 12 years to an end. Commenting on Cross’s absence, Clare Connor, managing director of England Women, reiterated that the door remains open for any domestic cricketer, though Cross has not yet announced her future plans.

Smith played nine T20Is up to mid-2019 before spending almost five years out of the international setup, only to earn a recall for England’s tour of New Zealand in March 2024. She impressed on her ODI debut against West Indies in May with a five-wicket haul. Arlott, meanwhile, made her international debut at age 27 during the home series against West Indies.

Lamb first represented England in a lone T20I against New Zealand in 2021 before cementing her place more firmly the following year. She featured only twice in 2023 and underwent back surgery last year, but returned to favour under new head coach Charlotte Edwards.

Lamb and Arlott join Ryana Macdonald-Gay and Issy Wong on skills contracts, a rebranded version of development contracts awarded to players the management believes can play a key role for England in the future. Macdonald-Gay and Wong had both been on development contracts for 2024–25.

Connor said the contracts reflect the ECB’s confidence in this group as England turn their focus toward next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup, where they aim to emulate India’s recent 50-over World Cup triumph on home soil. The T20 World Cup final will be held at Lord’s on July 5.

“Linsey Smith, Emma Lamb and Em Arlott have all made important contributions for England across the last year and these contracts are both a reward for what they have achieved and an opportunity to develop their skills further. Kate Cross misses out on a central contract after years of extraordinary service to England Women’s cricket. The door to selection is never closed on any domestic cricketer. Consistency in scoring runs and taking wickets in county cricket will always put players in a strong position to be picked in England squads,” said Connor as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“We’re all excited about what 2025-26 brings. Witnessing India win the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in their own country in front of their own fans is a powerful reminder of the impact that winning major events on home soil can have,” she concluded.

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