Brett Lee has discovered his wife made numerous trips to Queensland recently as he deals with the realisation his marriage is in tatters.
The Test cricketer and his wife, Liz Kemp, are believed to have split last week after he learned of "anomalies" in the reasons his wife gave for several of her trips to Brisbane, sources told The Sunday Mail.
Kemp grew up in Queensland, but her parents and immediate family live in Sydney.
Lee, 31, is devastated by the split and has been holed up in his Sydney suburban home with the couple's one-year-old son, Preston.
He has been visited several times by his parents and friends.
Cracks began to show in the high-profile couple's marriage about six months ago, friends of the couple said yesterday.
Kemp often travelled to Queensland while Lee was on tour overseas or interstate, sources said.
Lee, who is well liked by teammates, was devoted to his wife of two years, the friends said.
On Friday morning, Kemp arrived at the family home to drop off Preston.
She spent less than a minute on the property before emerging alone and driving off.
Kemp, dressed casually in jeans and with her hair pulled back, appeared resolute as she left the property, biting her lower lip as she climbed into her black station wagon.
Yesterday, Lee emerged from the house shortly before lunch to address the waiting media.
"I've been told I can't comment," a polite but sombre-looking Lee said.
"I won't comment about my family."
Lee left about 15 minutes later, climbing into his silver 4WD with an older couple believed to be his parents.
The cricketer's friends, including past and current sporting teammates, were shocked by news of the split.
Kemp's family also is said to have been surprised by the split, with one relative saying the couple were always happy at family functions.
"I only saw them four times a year and they were a loving couple," said the relative, who asked not to be named.
Lee and Kemp's relationship blossomed after they met on the 2005 Ashes tour to England. They married in a lavish ceremony at the country house of broadcaster Alan Jones at Fitzroy Falls, near Bowral, New South Wales, in June 2006.
Lee has been granted leave by Cricket Australia until the end of the three-match series against Bangladesh in Darwin, starting on August 30.
Lee is expected to tour India with the Australian team in October.
- ANDREW CHESTERTON and JONATHON MORAN