Australia will soon have its first million-dollar Test cricketer under a new pay deal negotiated with the Australian Cricket Board.

Under the agreement released today, the ACB says that the Australian squad will be the best paid cricket team in the world.

The board has painted a rosy future for cricket in Australia, predicting revenue from the sport will rise steadily in the next four years covered by the deal.

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed predicts that within two years, an Australian Test player will be paid more than $1 million annually in wages alone.

© 2001 AAP