KEY POINTS:
They've acclimatised by chilling out in Dunedin, the pitches are becoming second nature and the Black Caps' strengths and weaknesses are no secret considering this is their third successive summer cricket excursion to New Zealand.
But for all the benefits that familiarity suggests, Sri Lanka is anxious their
most recent foray out of their sub-continent comfort zone amounts to one significant point of difference -- a long overdue series win away from home.
Disregarding a glitch at October's Champions Trophy in India, where they failed to deny New Zealand a semifinal berth despite drubbing the Black Caps by seven wickets, Sri Lanka appears a cricketing nation on the rise this year based on a back from the brink drawn test series in England.
They went on to blitz the subsequent one-day series 5-0 before winning back to back tests against South Africa home soil, a record-laden series notable for a world record 624-run partnership between Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
Normally that sort of form would send jitters through a Black Caps side missing Kyle Mills, Scott Styris and sporting opening batsmen with averages of 12 and 26 but Sri Lanka's wretched record on the road suggests a level playing field ahead of Thursday's opening test at Jade Stadium.
Although Sri Lanka cleaned up in Mumbai, their touring record makes sorry reading.
They have a solitary win in New Zealand (1994-95) from 11 tests and their poor form here is not an aberration with only 14 wins outside of Colombo, Kandy or Galle in 83 matches since they gained test status 24 years ago.
On their previous visits New Zealand won by an innings at the Basin Reserve to take the two-test series 1-0 in April 2005 before wrapping up the one-dayers 4-1 in January.
"Our record in that area isn't as good as we'd like it to be in that area," their Australian coach Tom Moody admitted, "but we did pretty well in England and we're looking forward to making more progress in New Zealand."
To achieve that end a top four containing former captain Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Sangakkara and current skipper Jayawardene must put enough runs on the board for an attack spearheaded by Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan to defend.
Vass and Muralitharan were excused the four-day warm-up game in Otago last week but the batsmen enjoyed their chilly welcome as the top and middle order all passed 50, or in Tharanga's case three figures.
Sangakkara, who has surrendered the wicketkeeping gloves to focus on his batting, and Jayawardene were already in sublime form after their exploits against the Proteas.
In dire straits at 14 for two in the first test, the pair amassed 287 and 374 respectively on a tricky pitch to propel Sri Lanka to victory by an innings. Jayawardene then followed up with a key 123 as the home side chased down 352 to win the second test by a wicket.
That sort of resolve in the face of adversity has Sangakkara confident their luck is about to change in New Zealand.
"Everyone's in form I reckon, it's just a matter of adapting pretty quickly to different conditions to what we've been playing in.
"With the volume of cricket we've played (England, South Africa and the Champions Trophy) and the conditions we've been through, we've adapted very well. Right now the guys have no complaints.
"The thing is to stay positive, choose the right ball in the right zones and commit 100 per cent to scoring off them."
Although New Zealand's wickets are now less of a mystery, Moody took no chances by training the squad on green, seaming wickets before leaving Colombo.
The only thing he couldn't replicate was the temperatures though the Sri Lankans seemed to be bearing up at Jade Stadium yesterday, braving a blustery southerly to finish their fielding drills.
Troubled pace bowler Dilhara Fernando appeared the only potential casualty, sitting out the end of the net session with an ice pack on his left ankle.
Meanwhile, New Zealand arrived for training in the afternoon under no illusion about the challenge confronting them in a welcome diversion from a steady diet of one-dayers.
"The last time we saw them they were probably at the start of an upward curve," said spinner Daniel Vettori.
"We beat them quite comprehensively but it's probably not a true reflection of the side they are at the moment."
Both teams complete their preparations with a final training practice session at Jade Stadium today, after which New Zealand due to trim their 13-man squad by one.
- NZPA
