Putting de 'green' in Baggy Green

A $2 million pay day beckons for golden boys Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc, who are in the frame to be ranked the No.1 highest paid player on Cricket Australia’s lucrative contract list.

Fellow World Cup hero and ICC team of the tournament member Glenn Maxwell shapes as the other big mover into the top five earners, even though he appears unlikely to make the Test squads also to unveiled in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Australian captain Michael Clarke was ranked No.1 last April, but could slip down the chart for the coming year after deciding to retire from the one-day arena.

The rankings list which will likely number 17 contracted players, is a weighted system based on contributions to Test, one-day and Twenty20 international cricket with the top stars commanding in the vicinity of $2 million.

The salaries are separate from the other big money players now earn from the game from endorsements and IPL deals and also from the $340,000 each Australian World Cup squad member pocketed from Sunday night’s triumph over New Zealand.

m.foxsports.com.au/cricket/icc-world-cup...frf3ju-1227285338923

Caribbean players have to hope dey get IPL contract to make even quarter of what dey talking bout.