Steve Waugh gets pay hike

SYDNEY, MAY 1. Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh received a $ (A) 95,000 (about Rs 24 lakhs) pay rise today as his retainer jumped to $315,000 (about Rs 80 lakhs). If he plays a full Test and one-day programme for Australia in the next season, Waugh stands to earn $600,000 (about Rs 1.50 crores).

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) also identified the opening batting position as an area of concern by awarding contracts to West Australian opener Michael Hussey and Victorian left-hander Matthew Elliott.

Dumped from the list of 25 contracted players were Tom Moody, Brendon Julian, Adam Dale, Stuart Law and the retired Ian Healy.

The lowest ranked player awarded a contract, believed to be Hussey, would receive an $80,000 retainer - $15,000 more than last year.

An ACB spokesman said the larger retainers stemmed from a predicted increase in revenue from the 2000-2001 season which features a Test series against the West Indies.

Elliott, currently playing English county cricket for Glamorgan, was offered another contract after a prolific domestic season with Victoria which returned 1,028 runs at 68.53. The 20- Test batsmen has held an ACB contract before but was dropped last year following a troubled tour of the West Indies.

Hussey, 24, was rewarded for his 874 first class runs at 51.41 last season - which followed returns of more than 900 runs in each domestic season from 1995-96 to 1998-99.

The promotion of Hussey and Elliott was a warning for under- performing Test openers Matthew Hayden and Greg Blewett.

Australia's contracted players: Michael Bevan, Greg Blewett, Matthew Elliott, Damien Fleming, Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie, Ian Harvey, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Michael Kasprowicz, Simon Katich, Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Shane Lee, Darren Lehmann, Damien Martyn, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Colin Miller, Ricky Ponting, Michael Slater, Andrew Symonds, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh.

- AFP

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