Michael Hussey and Brett Lee are set to enjoy the financial spoils of a stellar year when Cricket Australia releases its list of 25 contracted players.
The versatile Hussey had yet to play a Test and was just starting to forge a permanent spot in the one-day team this time last year, but has become a key part of both teams.
The West Australian batsman is expected to earn a top-five ranking and collect a base contract of about $550,000 this year when the list is revealed at the end of the month.
Since reclaiming his Test spot on last year's Ashes tour, Lee has emerged as Australia's top paceman and is also set to earn a top-five rating.
A pay rise will cap a memorable year for the fast bowler, who will soon marry girlfriend Liz Kemp.
Australia's cricket selectors, under new chairman Andrew Hilditch, will leave captain Ricky Ponting as the top-ranked and highest paid player, on a base contract of about $620,000.
Ponting will pocket more than $1 million from CA when match payments and prizemoney are factored in.
Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist is expected to stay at No. 2, although his hold on that spot is not as strong as it was.
While Gilchrist's glovework has remained crisp, his form with the bat was modest until his match-saving century against Bangladesh in the first Test in Dhaka.
Though the specific rankings are not made public, fast bowler Stuart Clark, a late bloomer, should also enjoy a healthy pay rise after having impressed in his debut Test series in South Africa.
Andrew Symonds had expected a rise after regaining his Test spot last summer, but that may not be the case now as he has ended a long campaign out of the team, having averaged 19 with the bat and taken nine wickets at 45 in 10 Tests.
Glenn McGrath's ranking is unclear after he missed the South African and Bangladesh tours to support his wife, Jane, who is again fighting cancer.
McGrath was ranked as Australia's No. 1 player for four years until 2003-04 when he didn't play for eight months because of an ankle injury and slipped to No. 15.
He jumped back into the top bracket last year, but the likes of Hussey and Lee have now slipped ahead of him.
Victorians Cameron White and Mick Lewis are in danger of losing their contracts, while Simon Katich is expected to slip in the rankings, having lost his Test spot.
Matthew Hayden will also have his finances cut as he has become a Test specialist.
Brad Hodge is expected to retain his contract, while veteran pacemen Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz should also win reprieves and earn a low ranking after their surprise Test recalls this month.
The bottom-based contract is about $150,000 a year.
- JON PIERIK