Shane Warne has been included on an elite list of Australian cricketers to receive contracts for the 2003-04 international season despite currently serving a 12-month suspension for drug offences.

The disgraced leg-spinner was among 25 players rewarded with contracts for the year starting from July 1 even though he is ineligible to play until February 2004.

A spokesman for the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) said that Warne would not be paid while he was under suspension but would get pro-rata payment for the period between February and July.

"Shane's suspension ends in February and his contract will be reactivated then," the spokesman said.

"The charter for the selectors is to choose the 25 best players in the country and the selectors obviously see Shane Warne as being a part of that beyond February."

The 25 contracted players will be paid a base retainer, as well as match fees, tour fees and prize money for on-field success.

Under a formula agreed with the Australian Cricketers' Association as part of the 2001-2005 Memorandum of Understanding, the minimum retainer in 2003-04 is A$125,000 (US$77,600), up A$15,000 from last year, with more experienced and better performing players receiving more.

Warne, the second highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, was banned for 12 months after testing positive for diuretics which he admitted taking before this year's World Cup.

Full list of Australian players to receive contracts for 2003-04:

Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Nathan Bracken, Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie, Ian Harvey, Nathan Hauritz, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Martin Love, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Ashley Noffke, Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Shane Warne, Shane Watson, Steve Waugh, Brad Williams.