The door is all but closed on New Zealand's annual one-day tilt at Australia for next summer.
It would have been the Aussies' turn to host the popular ODI series. However scheduling issues mean there is very little chance to fit the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy into a busy season.
Cricket Australiaannounced its home international programme yesterday, with the Ashes series against England as the centrepiece and no sign of the New Zealand contest.
England are in Australia from November 5 to February 6 - including five tests and seven ODIs - before both teams head for the World Cup on the subcontinent.
That starts in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on February 19, with preparations for all teams at the cup starting around the second week of that month, leaving insufficient time after England's visit.
Before England arrive, Sri Lanka are in Australia from October 22 to November 7 for Twenty20 and ODI matches.
At the same time, New Zealand will be in India for a full tour of tests and ODIs until at least early December. They are still awaiting specifics of that itinerary. However Pakistan arrive shortly after for a lengthy visit, making the transtasman event seem all but a dead duck.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said just before Christmas that it was looking dicey at that point, simply for lack of space in the calendars, but still held out hope of working something out. He said it had always been done on a "best endeavours" basis rather than an item that was automatically inked in each summer.
Last season, New Zealand won the first two games in Perth and Melbourne. Australia squared the series at Sydney and Adelaide before rain marred what was shaping as a thrilling finish in the decider in Brisbane. Australia retained the trophy.
It is expected the series will return in the 2011-12 season.
