BRETT Lee has become the Nowhere Man after Cricket NSW knocked back a bold plan to rush the pace ace from New Zealand to Brisbane on a chartered jet for today's Pura Cup final.
Media giant Alan Jones was involved in setting up the mercy dash that would have enabled Lee to arrive at the Gabba before lunch, meaning he would sit out less than two sessions of the five-day final against Queensland.
But Cricket NSW would not risk playing a man down even for that time and a clearly dejected Lee was last night left to comprehend the lowest point of his career.
In the space of a few hours, Lee was told that he was again Australia 12th man for today's Second Test against New Zealand - which has been delayed in starting owing to fog and rain in Wellington - and then unwanted by his state.
"This is definitely the lowlight of my career. Not being picked in two teams in one day - it doesn't get any worse than that," Lee said.
"The possibility was there three hours ago that I was going to play a Test match. Half an hour ago I was going to play a Pura Cup final. Now it's nothing.
"It's very disappointing to say the least. I have to live with it, I have to accept that. I can fully understand where Cricket NSW is coming from and I would never want to upset their format.
"It's St Patrick's Day. Maybe I'll get a run in the St Patrick's XI or maybe for Wellington - if they need a fast bowler I'm always available."
The setback caps off a season of heavy disappointment for Lee, who terrorised New Zealand's batsmen with his pace and control during the recent one-day series.
He has played just two first-class games in more than a year because of one-day commitments and his consistent role as Australia's Test 12th man.
Lee was not allowed to leave Wellington today until the Australian team took the field fully fit and Cricket NSW would not risk his absence.
NSW coach Trevor Bayliss admitted he felt for Lee.
"We would have loved to have had him, but if Brett played one of our three fast bowlers would have had to miss out," Bayliss said.
"We just were not prepared to go in with two pacemen for two sessions. It was a decision we didn't like making but one we had to make.
"Brett was chomping at the bit to play."
Lee would not reveal the people who chartered and then cancelled a flight from Wellington.
But Lee is friends with Jones and the influential radio star was believed to be involved in the plan.
Lee now faces the likelihood of missing selection in next week's final Test against New Zealand and potentially scrambling some English county cricket to fine-tune his Ashes preparations.
"It's definitely an option we might have to consider," Lee said.
"I want to make sure I'm going to England prepared and that I've done enough bowling.
"I would have been happy to bowl into a hurricane [in Wellington]. I just want to play cricket."
- MICHAEL CRUTCHER and ROBERT CRADDOCK