Hot on the heels of felling Alex Tudor with a nasty bouncer in the third Ashes Test, the Australian tearaway has knocked Jeremy Snape out of the international limited overs series with a short ball that broke the England offspinner's right thumb.

Snape was struck by Lee from the first ball he faced in last night's eight-wicket win by NSW at the SCG. It was also the first ball Snape faced in Australia.

Right-arm Test offspinner Richard Dawson is likely to be drafted into the England squad, but he won't arrive before tomorrow's day-night match against England at the SCG.

England's so-far winless tour has been ravaged by injury to leading players and Snape's sudden exit adds to coach Duncan Fletcher's already throbbing headache.

"The injuries we've had on tour have all ben real freak accidents," said Fletcher.

"I don't think there's one where we could say that could have been prevented. You just have to be philosophical about it and try to move on.

"At the end of the day it's like anything. If you sit there and get down on yourself you start spiralling down. You've got to try to be positive. "What alternative is there?"

None.

Tomorrow's match starts at 2.15pm.

© 2002 AAP

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.