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New Zealand's most consistent fast bowler of the past year said he was gutted by the selectors' decision to leave him out of this tour's one-day segment.
Chris Martin's on-again, off-again one-day international (ODI) career was switched off again when he was the shock omission for the team to tour Britain at the conclusion of the three-test series.
While Martin is clearly better suited to test cricket than short-form cricket, he was still among the most consistent performers in the last home summer.
"I was absolutely gutted," Martin said. "It was not one that I saw coming.
"It's been my habit to play my way back into these teams over the years so I'll have to hope there's another chance for me in that one-day set-up around the corner."
To that end, Martin is about to put pen to paper on a short-term deal to join Birmingham-based English county Warwickshire.
"It's a probability at the moment. I'm just going through the process with Warwickshire and New Zealand Cricket. There's a contract on the table which we're looking at. For me, it would be a great opportunity, with the one-day side here, to keep me in the country. To have a guy on standby who's playing cricket helps everyone really."
Martin, 33, knows that being a substitute is, well, no substitute for being wanted from the start. He was also a late call-up for the World Cup in the West Indies last year when, staggeringly, a half-fit Daryl Tuffey was preferred to him.
Following this snub, Martin sought explanation.
"I gave Dion [Nash, national selector] a ring and had a chat to him for a wee while. He's given me a few positives and a few things to work on."
Coach John Bracewell has been on record in the past saying one-day cricketers, and you could add Twenty20 to that now, need to be proficient in two of cricket's three fundamental skills - batting, bowling and fielding. Martin has bowling covered and his out-fielding is sound without being top-notch. Batting? Forget about it.
"Over the years, I know it's been a ... - no, I better stop there actually."
A penny for his true thoughts wasn't enough to coax any more from Martin. Suffice to say, he clearly thinks the selectors have blundered. He is not the only one.
At the time of his omission, the Herald on Sunday talked to one of Martin's team-mates who said, under condition of anonymity, that the decision was bizarre.
Warwickshire officials no doubt have similar sentiments, hence their pursuit of the seamer.
While Martin wants to use the county programme to be fit and ready should somebody get injured, in the back of his mind, also, will be the chance to prove the selectors wrong by taking a bucketload of one-day wickets for Warwickshire.
"The main thing is ever since I was a young fella, I've wanted to play county cricket and I've followed the privileged few that have. I've always thought it would be something I'd like to do. Allan Donald's the coach; he's a guy I've always looked up to as well, so there's a few things that have enticed me to take the deal."
