KEY POINTS:
James Franklin, a doctor's clearance in hand and the Sri Lankans safely in the distance, is confident New Zealand will shrug off their changeable form in time for Sunday's much-awaited tri-series opener against Australia.
Speaking after yesterday's decider against Sri Lanka was abandoned without a ball being bowled,
leaving the series deadlocked at 2-2, Franklin said attention was already turning to New Zealand's double-header in Hobart against the hosts and England.
"I don't think our confidence has been affected [after Auckland]," he said. "We would have liked to have got out there today because there was a series on the line, but now we've got a few days in Hobart before the game on Sunday and I'm sure we'll put in a lot of time in the nets.
"It's a massive game and we want to start the tour off on a good note."
Franklin missed New Zealand's horror-story at Auckland at the weekend with a dodgy left knee and spent most of Monday travelling to and returning from Wellington, where he received encouraging news on the joint.
The left-armer, who is quickly growing into a role as a front-line all-rounder, was nine months ago diagnosed as suffering from a small tear in the lateral meniscus.
"The good news is that it's stable," he said. "It was just about seeing where it's at, and everything's looking fairly positive at the moment. He [the surgeon] is confident that I can get through the next four or five months, as long as I look after it and ice it."
The concern over Franklin's fitness is the last thing coach John Bracewell needs, given he's already having to cope with the forced unavailability of Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram and Scott Styris.
However, Franklin said he felt confident in the knee and that although he'd probably have to undergo surgery at some stage, there was a consensus that he could get through the remainder of the summer's programme.
"At some stage surgery will be needed but the surgeon was confident I'll get through to the end of the summer, and so am I. But if it goes, I guess it goes."
He said yesterday's washout and series tie was probably an appropriate result, considering how even the Sri Lankan and New Zealand teams were, and the manner in which each side fluctuated through the two tests and four ODIs.
But he was now keen to turn his gaze to the tri-series, and the challenge of playing two formidable opponents in a country where cricket is revered from coast to coast.
"It's going to be tough, there's no doubt about that. It's the toughest place to go and play but you know if you can succeed over there you can succeed anywhere.
"We realise we're going up against an Australian team that are high on themselves at the moment, and an England team that will be hell-bent on bouncing back. We're going to be chucked straight into the lion's den but I know all the guys are looking forward to it."