Cricket Australia must review its antiquated system for awarding national player contracts if it's to be truly reflective of the modern age.

CA made the right call in removing Brad Hodge, Graham Manou, Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark from the 25-player list for the 2010-11 campaign announced on Wednesday because all four are unlikely to ever again feature in Australian colors.

But the axing of David Hussey has caused a stir because it highlighted the flawed system CA works under.

Hussey is all but a Twenty20 specialist on the international scene, and is one of the bite-sized format's best, but cricket's new money-spinner isn't properly recognised under the current guidelines for national contracts.

Test players are awarded a weighting of 1.25 ranking points, but Twenty20 rankings fall within limited-overs rankings, with the national selectors needing to assess a player's worth in both forms of the shortened games before determining his ultimate value.

That's wrong. The popularity of Twenty20 and the focus now on this format demands it must have its own ranking because the current system means the likes of Twenty20 specialists David Warner and key left-arm paceman Dirk Nannes were also overlooked for contracts.

Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association told backpagelead.com.au, at least two years ago, this system would be reviewed. That has yet to occur, although both parties have indicated today it's now firmly on the agenda.

About time.

The speed with which Twenty20 has gripped the cricketing world has caught many nations by surprise, including CA which veered on the side of caution while the likes of calculating Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi seized the moment.

It's now time for CA to do the same with its outdated contracts system, born during the tumultuous summer of 1997-98 when players and CA fought a sometimes dirty industrial relations war.

If it doesn't, what's the incentive for the likes of a Warner and Hussey to put their bodies through the rigors of first-class cricket, full well knowing they have little chance of ever donning the baggy green cap? Why not become Twenty20 specialists, as Andrew Symonds and Dirk Nannes have done?

The switch-hitting Warner, after all, will be one of the key planks of Australia's Twenty20 World Cup squad, beginning later this month in the West Indies. Surely, that deserves recognition.

If pacemen Shaun Tait and Brett Lee were worthy of contracts, so, too, was Warner.

Tait and Lee are no longer available for Test selection. Tait has become somewhat of a Twenty20 specialist and Lee, well, he hasn't been seen internationally since October last year because of injury and form.

If the crowd-pleasing Warner and others of his ilk are not recognised, the Sheffield Shield could be robbed of some of its best talent, and that's not good for the future of Test cricket which, presumably, remains the sport's pinnacle.

CA is awash with cash, so expanding the contract list to say, 30, shouldn't be an issue.

Never before have our cricketers experienced such great on-field riches.

CA announced the five players adjudged to be the best handful in both the Test and limited overs teams will receive an average retainer of $1.5 million.

These five - believed to be Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson and Mike Hussey - won't receive additional match fees but will also share with all contracted players in the $3.1 million on offer in marketing fees.

Just to think Allan Border's last contract, in 1993-94, was $90,000. Little wonder "AB" has little time for modern players who complain about playing too much cricket.

THE LIST

Doug Bollinger, NSW, 28

Michael Clarke, NSW, 29

Callum Ferguson, SA, 25

Brad Haddin, NSW, 32

Ryan Harris, QLD, 30

Nathan Hauritz, NSW, 28

Ben Hilfenhaus, TAS, 27

James Hopes, QLD, 31

Phillip Hughes, NSW, 21

Michael Hussey, WA, 34

Mitchell Johnson, WA, 28

Simon Katich, NSW, 34

Brett Lee, NSW, 33

Shaun Marsh, WA, 26

Andrew McDonald, VIC, 28

Clint McKay , VIC, 27

Marcus North, WA, 30

Tim Paine, TAS, 25

Ricky Ponting, TAS, 35

Peter Siddle, VIC, 25

Steven Smith, NSW, 20

Shaun Tait, SA, 27

Adam Voges, WA, 30

Shane Watson, NSW, 28

Cameron White, VIC, 26