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Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner are the latest Australian players to lose English County Cricket contracts due to uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak.

Australian allrounders Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner have become the latest players to lose English County Cricket contracts owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

The pair were due to represent Lancashire during the domestic T20 Blast competition but the club announced on Friday that overseas deals would be terminated due the uncertainty over when cricket in England will resume.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have initially put the season on hold until at least May 28 but uncertainty remains about whether there will be any further interruptions to the campaign.

New Zealand Test wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling has also had his red-ball deal terminated, a move Lancashire director of cricket Paul Allott said was necessary to protect the club's long-term financial future.

"I would like to thank BJ, Glenn, James and their representatives for their total understanding of the current situation and full agreement of this decision," Allott said in a statement.

"These are clearly very uncertain and challenging times for all counties both financially and operationally and it's clear the issues we face at the moment will have an impact on the way we prepare for the domestic season.

"The overseas player situation is a policy that has been discussed nationwide and we think it's prudent to mutually come to an agreement with the players we had originally signed."

The ECB are still hopeful the much-vaunted Hundred competition will be able to start on July 15, but there have been calls for it to be postponed until 2021 with tickets sales suspended and overseas stars such as David Warner withdrawing.

Earlier this month Queensland seamer Michael Neser had his red ball deal with Surrey cancelled.

Neser was contracted until July, but with the county championship in grave danger of being cancelled to allow the money-spinning white ball events to go ahead Surrey had little alternative than to withdraw their offer.

"Given the testing times we find ourselves in, I would like to thank Michael Neser and his management company for their total understanding of the current situation and full agreement of this decision," said Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart.

"The wider issues the sport is facing is paramount and it was refreshing to know Michael and his representatives are looking at the bigger picture in this sensible and responsible way."

Australia Test spinner Nathan Lyon's red ball contract with Hampshire was also terminated last week.