Bailey set for six-figure pay rise if extends 'fragile' Test career through Proteas tour

Australian Ashes 'debutant' George Bailey is reportedly set to receive a substantial six-figure pay rise if he manages to extend his fragile Test career through Australia's tour of South Africa next month.

As Australia's Twenty20 captain and one of their top ranked 50-over players, Bailey only needs to be ranked as a Test player to win a lucrative pay rise and be in the nation's six or seven best-paid players.

According to News.com.au, Bailey must now use Test cricket to convince the national selectors to give him another shot at Test level after his unconvincing Ashes campaign as then he may be named in a new elite national contract list, which would be finalised after the South African tour.

The report mentioned that Bailey's first challenge is to be chosen in Australia's touring squad and then he will have to resist the challenge of his Tasmanian teammate Alex Doolan for three heavy-duty South African Tests.

Australian players who are ranked in all three forms of the game, with Test matches given the highest weighting, traditionally find themselves in the top half of the elite 17-man list, the report added.