England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has been given a 12-month central contract with the team.

Vaughan quit as England Test captain last month and he was replaced by Kevin Pietersen, who immediately won his first Test as captain against South Africa.

Even though he has averaged less than ten runs for Yorkshire since he resigned the England captaincy, Vaughan's return to the squad will provide competition for places in the batting line-up.

National selector Geoff Miller said: "The award of a central contract reflects the selectors' view that Michael still has a role to play in the England Test squad over the next 12 months.

"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."

Bowler Stuart Broad has been given a central contract for the first time, but there is no wicketkeeper among the contracted players.

Matt Prior has been given a part-time contract for the year ahead instead, along with Tim Ambrose.

England have also named the squad that will play for a one-off cash prize of £500,000 per man against a team of Caribbean All Stars in November.

Steve Harmison is in the squad, even though he had to be persuaded out of one-day international retirement by Pietersen last month.

Centrally contracted players: James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan.

Part-time contracts: Tim Ambrose, Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Graeme Swann and Luke Wright.

England squad for the Stanford Series and one-day internationals against India: Kevin Pietersen, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom and Luke Wright.

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