Nine Surrey players have been awarded England central contracts as they look forward to a hectic winter.

A white ball series in Pakistan which also involves Sri Lanka is followed by three One-Day Internationals and five T20s in Australia, before England head to South Africa for a three-Test series and three One-Day Internationals.

After Christmas there's a Test trip to Bangladesh before a one-off Test in Australia in March.

That will act as a curtain-raiser for next summer's Ashes, a 50-over World Cup following in the autumn.

It was widely expected that Jamie Smith, who has established himself as the number one wicketkeeper-batter in the Test side, would be joined by fast bowler Gus Atkinson plus all-rounders Will Jacks, Sam Curran and Jamie Overton, all of whom have featured regularly in One-Day Internationals and T20s for the national side and sometimes the longer format.

Dan Lawrence’s successful return to the international scene against Pakistan sees him brought in for the first time while Ollie Pope retains his contract despite having been left out during last winter's Ashes down under and not selected since.

Pope remains close to the England side, though, and was included in the squads for each of the three Tests against Pakistan last season. Having to rush from Test venues – once the toss had been made, to Surrey matches around the country – was detrimental to his form.

Also featuring for the first time is seamer Matthew Fisher, who made his return to the Test side after a four-year absence against New Zealand at the Kia Oval, taking five wickets and scoring 50 in the first innings. The 28-year-old was not picked again during the summer but is clearly still in the thoughts of the selectors.

Surrey's ninth player is Henry Crocombe, the fast bowler signed from Sussex who is set to make his debut next season. He has earned a two-year deal, as have Atkinson, Curran and Jacks, the rest being covered over the next 12 months.

The member of staff at the Kia Oval who might be feeling left out is Tom Lawes, whose developmental contract – where the England & Wales Cricket Board pay half the salary plus a top-up of 25 per cent – has not been renewed. Lawes missed five Championship matches through injury but averaged 33 with bat and ball.

Crocombe has been included in both squads heading to Australia soon. He will be joined in the party in both formats by Curran, Jacks and Overton with Atkinson alongside them for the 50-over One-Day Internationals but rested – alongside fellow speedsters Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue – for the T20s.

Lawrence missed out on that tour but will captain the England Lions in a five-match series against West Indies A in the Caribbean which starts on November 7.

Having so many players receiving central contracts is a mixed blessing for Surrey. While it will save a considerable amount of money in their cricket budget and offer greater headroom in fitting into the salary cap – which is £3.2million for the two counties in London – it also gives them less control over their own players as they attempt to make their way back up Rothesay County Championship Division One after finishing seventh last season.

That will make recruitment from outside the current squad and their choice of overseas players all the more important.