Brett Lee marriage shock

Happier times ... Brett Lee, wife Liz and one month old son Preston share their first Christmas on December 25, 2006. 

AUSTRALIAN fast bowler Brett Lee has pulled out of this month's one-day series against Bangladesh because of the breakdown of his marriage.

Lee, 31, and podiatrist wife Liz Kemp, 31, have separated after just two years together.

The move has prompted Lee to pull out of this week's Australian team training camp in Brisbane and the three-match one-day series against Bangladesh in Darwin, beginning later this month.

"Brett needs time to work through things," a close friend of Lee said last night.

He capped off playing his 50th test and taking his 200th wicket in Durban by presenting Kemp with a ring made with South African diamonds.

"Liz has had a great influence on me and having a family has really helped my cricket," Lee said last year.

Before they were married, friends said Kemp, who originally came from Queensland, quit her job at Double Bay in 2005 to "get married and have babies".

Lee's immediate cricketing future is now in doubt.

Brett Lee sets sights on New Zealand Twenty20

A group of Australian limited-overs specialists including Brett Lee could be crossing the ditch to New Zealand to play in its Twenty20 league this summer. Lee no longer appears in whites for Australia or New South Wales so is chasing extra games to keep him in touch for his domestic duties and any international calls.

New Zealand's Twenty20 tournament is in December while Australia's Big Bash is mostly in January, meaning there could be a trade of talent across the Tasman. Nathan Bracken has approached New South Wales to see if he can join a provincial team while it is believed Wellington and Canterbury are interested in Lee. The obvious problem is that the players would be unable to turn out for their home sides and the overseas team.

Michael Brown, Cricket Australia's general manager of cricket, said he was ready for the moves if there was room in the programme. "The first priority for an Australian player is here, and even with players on the periphery the selectors might want them here, but subject to those things we are open to it," he said in the Australian. "Subject to everybody being okay with it I can't see too many negatives."