Khawaja among new players with Cricket Australia contracts

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges and Joe Burns are among those on the list of Cricket Australia's contracted players for 2016-17 after a number of key retirements.

Cricket Australia said yesterday the list of 20 players reflected performances since last July.

Khawaja was recovering from a left knee reconstruction at this time last year, but the opener has since become one of the form players in the world, scoring centuries in four consecutive tests and two hundreds in Twenty20 matches.

Nathan Coulter-Nile, John Hastings, Peter Nevill and Peter Siddle have also earned contracts after being left out last year.

The minimum value of a Cricket Australia contract for the 2016-17 season is US$207,000.

"There is a lot of talent within this group and we have confidence that the players chosen can be successful in all three forms of the game, against a range of opposition, in a variety of conditions," national selector Rod Marsh said.

Australian contracted players: George Bailey, Joe Burns, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Patrick Cummins, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, James Pattinson, Adam Voges, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner.