Michael Clarke [Images] has replaced his skipper Ricky Ponting [Images] as the highest earning cricketer in the Australian team according to an estimate, which puts his salary to $ 1.01 million.

The calculations are based on 12 months of estimated earnings from December 1, 2007.

Last year, Ponting had emerged as the highest paid cricketer.

But it was only Clarke's workload that steered him ahead of Ponting, who is closely chasing him at $ 992,280 for the year. Clarke featured in 36 out of 37 games Australia [Images] played.

Only Mike Hussey [Images] played all the games, and $ 329,970 in match fees saw his payday get past Brett Lee [Images], a man believed to be the number two rank but not so due to less number of matches.

According to Daily Telegraph, base salaries of the top 25 contracted Australian cricketers start at $ 160,000 and end with Ponting at a sum believed to be $ 800,000. 

"The base salaries drop at intervals of approximately $ 50,000 according to rankings, and men who play in all forms of the game occupy the top tier," the newspaper said.

"On top of this, players are paid match fees that can boost their wage by more than $ 300,000 a year if they play the majority of Tests, one-dayers and Twenty20 [Images] games. A Test is worth $ 12,750 and 50/20-over cricket pays $ 5100 -- and both attract overseas loading."

According to the report, most top Aussie batsmen pocket somewhere between $ 600 and $ 700 a run. Because of his workload, Hussey represents best value, costing CA only $ 619 for every run.