Former captain Michael Vaughan was among 12 players awarded yearlong England contracts yesterday, while the 15-man squad for the lucrative, winner-takes-all Stanford Super Series was also announced.

Vaughan had been struggling for runs when he resigned as test captain on August 3 after the third test defeat that guaranteed South Africa's first series win in England since 1965.

He was replaced by Kevin Pietersen, who led England to victory in the final test of a series it lost 1-2 and to a 4-0 win over South Africa in the subsequent one-day series.

"The award of an England central contract to Michael Vaughan reflects the selectors' view that Michael still has a role to play in the England test squad over the next 12 months," selector Geoff Miller said in a statement. "As we build toward the Ashes in 2009, we feel that Michael's experience of previous Ashes campaigns and his excellent personal record against Australia will be an important asset to the squad."

Allrounder Stuart Broad was also given a 12-month deal, but test wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose missed out and was instead one of seven players given a lesser contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom has recovered from a groin injury and replaces Tim Bresnan in the one-day squad that beat South Africa.

England will play the Stanford Superstars - a West Indian all-star team - on November 1 in a Twenty20 match in Antigua that will earn the winning team US$20 million in prize money. England will then play a one-day series in India.

Texan billionaire Allen Stanford, an Antigua resident, will spend US$100 million on five Twenty20 matches over five years between England and the Stanford Superstars.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily September 10, 2008)