Said Malan soon after arriving in Hamilton last night: "We want to keep our group not too high or let them fall to low in the 40 overs. We just want continuity."
Added Pamment: "We haven't found continuity so we'll build on our last performance [that is, walloping defending champions Wellington Firebirds by seven wickets last Sunday]."
All that, no doubt, begs the question: "If neither side have found that elusive continuity why is it that ND are perched on the favourable half of the six-team ladder after six games and CD aren't?"
The irony isn't lost on Malan whose Kruger van Wyk-captained CD desperately need to clinch all four remaining games, including reloading and rolling out the carpet for ND again on Sunday in New Plymouth.
"It'll make things interesting if we don't win," said the circumspect coach from South Africa as CD's poor tenure continues in the T20 format.
The line up in the abandoned match against the Canterbury Kings last Sunday at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, remains and there's further disclosure that injured opening batsman Jesse Ryder has now been bracketed for the last two games after a cameo one-run appearance in the opener.
It remains to be seen whether bringing Sri Lanka import batsman Mahela Jayawardene so late is another exercise in futility.
However, ND have lost the services Aussie speed merchant Ben Laughlin who has returned to Brisbane to work on a quad injury he picked up in Whangarei.
Thanks to Pamment's connections with former Black Caps bowling coach Damien Wright ND have commissioned Dutch Australian-born Dutch international Timm van der Gugten.
The 24-year-old right armer is contracted to Tasmania and the Hobart Hurricanes, with Wright as part of their coaching stable, in the Australian domestic competitions.
ND's Aussie CEO, Peter Roach, who has lured players from across the ditch before, said: "In Timm we believe we have found someone who brings specific skills that can help our team."
The prolonged debut of Jayawardene and van der Gugten tonight will in itself be worth three times the price of the entry fee.
Malan said weather permitting, Jayawardene's experience should provide the perfect chance for his predominantly younger lads to chip in.
Mindful every team "is in the same boat" with injuries and fickle weather, Pamment said ND captain Daniel Flynn and Corey Anderson were pivotal in igniting them against the Firebirds.
"All six teams are capable of beating each other so it comes down to confidence, improving and working bloody hard ... honesty among individuals and making sure we're peaking at the right time so that's what T20 cricket is all about," said the English-born coach who played for the Auckland Aces.
-ND KNIGHTS: Daniel Flynn (c), Corey Anderson, James Baker, Jono Boult, Anton Devcich, Brett Hampton, Nick Kelly, Scott Kuggeleijn. Daryl Mitchell, Kevin O'Brien (import), Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Timm van der Gugten (import).
-CD STAGS: Kruger van Wyk (c, wk, HB), William Young (vc, Taranaki), Tom Bruce (Taranaki), Josh Clarkson (Nelson), Mitchell Claydon (England import), Dane Cleaver (Manawatu), Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka import), Marty Kain (Nelson), Adam Milne (Manawatu), Seth Rance (Wairarapa), Bevan Small (Manawatu), George Worker (Manawatu).
