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AUSTRALIA’S World Cup hitman Shaun Tait will become a million-dollar flamethrower as his marketing potential and individual popularity soars.

Nothing excites cricket audiences like an express bowler terrorising batsmen with 160km/h missiles. Similarly, the game’s ad men love a rare-breed drawcard to shape a promotional campaign.

Cricket’s version of Hollywood gunslinger Clint Eastwood - lethal - Tait fits the marketing bill on all levels.

Cricket Australia combines limited-overs and Test performances in deciding the pay scale for its 25-man contract list, expected to be released today.

Tait’s one-day ranking points will have gone through the roof after taking 23 Cup scalps at 20.3 - just behind retiring player of the tournament Glenn McGrath with 26.

Tait’s manager, Athletes1 director Andrew McRitchie, said his client’s stocks had risen appreciably following his Caribbean crusade.

“We expect Shaun to be knocking closely on CA’s top-10 contract list,” McRitchie said. “Shaun’s record backs up very well compared with a lot of the young blokes going around.”

Veteran pacemen Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz and batsman Simon Katich will be cast adrift from CA’s central contract list while the departure of brilliant seamer McGrath, legendary leg spinner Shane Warne and batsmen Damien Martyn and Justin Langer will free up around $2.5 million for distribution.

Tait can expect to progress from a lower-base yearly deal of $300,000 to a top-tier remuneration of around $500,000 - preceding match fees and prize money.

It certainly pays to play.

The super-slinger pocketed a cool $200,000 for his part in guiding Australia to a record third-straight World Cup trophy - in addition to a $90,000 touring fee.

Tait hasn’t played Test cricket since September 2005 against England at The Oval but is positioned to take the new ball for Australia with Lee backed by seamer Stuart Clark and raw left armer Mitchell Johnson.

South Australian Cricket Association marketing guru Terry Davies says Tait’s now a priceless commodity who should be utilised prominently but “carefully”.

“The reality is he will be sought after,” Davies said.

“He’s young and one of the fastest bowlers in the world. It gives an appeal for him bouncing off the success he has had and the personality adds depth.”

The big South Australian is arguably the swiftest bowler in world cricket - now consistently quicker than 30-year-old speed machine Lee and Pakistan Express Shoaib Akhtar, who clocked 161km/h against England at the 2003 World Cup.

McRitchie’s phone has been running hot, with Tait only surpassed in his earning potential in SA by former World No.1 tennis ace Lleyton Hewitt.

“Shaun is one of four blokes to have bowled at 160km/h (along with Jeff Thompson, Andy Roberts and Akhtar),” he said. “We have been contacted by a few multinationals - not many blokes open the bowling for Australia in their first major tournament.

“Ladies like him and blokes respect him. He’s the only SA member of the national team. Shaun is now putting himself into an international market.

“The Asian market loves Brett Lee because he can bowl quick so that should open doors for Taity.

“AFL, for example, is limited as you can’t sell Simon Goodwin in Queensland.”

Drug-tainted Akhtar burst to notoriety at the 1999 World Cup but became consumed with the need for speed. Tait has also achieved fame courtesy of the World Cup vehicle in the Caribbean but is focused on form and nothing else.

“It wasn’t as easy as it looked,” said Tait, from Barbados. “I know I must continue to perform now.”

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