AS the Australia team cracked open the first of many celebratory refreshments at Jade Stadium last night, fast bowler Brett Lee was jogging laps around a ground as empty and desolate as his hopes for a recall in this week's Second Test.
Despite being in the form of his life, it now appears only injury or some other form of unforeseen disaster will uproot one of the three incumbent pace men, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz.
The fact the selectors opted to show faith in that trio because of the service they have performed over the past year means there appears little hope for Lee given the comprehensive nature of yesterday's first Test win over New Zealand.
Captain Ricky Ponting, who was a passionate supporter of Lee in the lead-up to the opening Test, said last night he found it difficult to imagine changes to his team for the next Test, which begins in Wellington on Friday.
"You would think it would be pretty hard," Ponting said.
"We've played great cricket for four days here and changes would probably be unexpected. The selectors obviously felt that everyone in the side thoroughly deserved their position. That's what makes it harder for Brett.
"I know, he knows, everyone knows that he's probably bowling as well as he ever has. But so are the other three guys in the side and that makes it hard to slip him in.
"Everyone feels for Brett, but you just can't fit 12 into 11."
It seems unlikely that Lee will be given a chance prior to the Ashes series which begins with the opening Test at Lord's in mid-July.
With Simon Katich strengthening his grip on the No.6 batting berth after his match-winning century and partnership with Adam Gilchrist in Christchurch last Saturday, the Australian team is taking on a settled look.
The same can be said for the Kiwis, who last night named an unchanged 12 for the second Test. But their retention policy has more to do with lack of alternatives than satisfaction with the incumbents.
Jacob Oram was yesterday ruled out for the remainder of the series because of stress fractures in his back.
Top-order batsman Scott Styris is unlikely to make an appearance in the series, given he will undergo exploratory surgery on his troublesome right knee this week.
New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was clearly at his wits' end last night after his team once again disintegrated in its second innings after putting up a spirited showing on the first two-and-a-half days.
Asked what areas of their game the Kiwis had been addressing over the past two years - in which time they have won just three Tests including two against lowly Bangladesh - Fleming rattled off a seemingly endless list of problem areas.
"We've done a massive amount, from the mental aspect of controlling a game in the third innings, leading a game, the skills required to push the game to the last day and win," Fleming said.
"The ability to use reverse swing, the ability to bat for periods of time to set up (a game) in the first innings, why we're only even after the first innings when at times we should be further ahead.
"How we carry momentum, bowling the channels and creating pressure, absorbing the pressure when teams come at you because up to that point you've been winning the game, individual players becoming more skilled on a dying wicket, the ability to play spin. How are we going? There's a lot more, it's everything."
But despite the fact his team has not tasted success over Australia in a Test since 1993, 31-year-old Fleming believes it can happen in during his playing career.
"It's got to happen once or twice, that's my feeling," Fleming said last night.
"It takes one person to bat like Hamish Marshall in the second innings, or bowl like a Dan Vettori in this Test and take a game by the scruff of the neck and not let it go.
"What we do is we pinch the scruff and then let it go."
- ANDREW RAMSEY