Cricket: Travel sickness no

The Black Caps will be facing the second-most mentally tough side in the world when the first one-dayer gets underway at Eden Park today.

The science behind that observation is none-too-technical, however, relayed to the media by Sri Lankan coach John Dyson via his counterpart John Bracewell.

"Their coach says they're mentally the toughest team outside of Australia," Bracewell said.

"We understand that they're becoming much more competitive internationally and they tour much better than they used to," Bracewell continued, saying that playing at home was becoming less of an advantage on the international circuit these days, with such a proliferation of cricket.

The last time Sri Lanka toured New Zealand - in 2001 - they did so very well, winning the first four games of a five-match one-day series before falling just short of completing the whitewash.

However, don't expect the Black Caps to have those score sheets pinned to their dressing room walls for motivation.

"We're not a payback side," Bracewell said. "We don't take revenge attitudes into our game. We don't take anything from our previous games except information that could give us an edge."

The lure of having the chance to play for the title of No 1 one-day side in the world is likely to provide more motivation than any 'utu', but captain Stephen Fleming said it was a case of looking after the small picture first, then the big picture will become clear.

"Last summer was very good to us one-day cricket-wise and we're looking to build on that," Fleming said. "The pressure of playing at home is a lot more intense as well. You open yourself up to more criticism and more scrutiny.

"The main focus of the group is to play well against Sri Lanka, get a good series win and then look forward to Australia. If there's a possibility we can up the ante even more - though you don't really need to in a series against Australia - and have an opportunity of vying for that No 1 spot it would be a fantastic end to the summer."

It has long been known that becoming No 1 guarantees a cash-cow series against a World XI in Melbourne in October and Fleming said one player in particular is looking forward to that.

"Scott Styris counts his pennies; he's very, very tight-fisted you could say and he's kept us up to date," a smiling Fleming said.

Styris will carry happy memories from last season into this match, scoring a century against Pakistan on Eden Park to lift New Zealand to an unlikely victory. That innings will be remembered for his ability to get inside the ball and work it through or over the off side.

Eden Park is a difficult ground to get your angles right when setting fields. Bracewell said it generally favoured left-handers and right-handed batsmen powerful through the off side.

The last time Sri Lanka played there it certainly suited their experienced left-handed ace Sanath Jayasuriya, who blasted a match-winning century.

Sri Lanka in NZ

Today: v NZ, (1st ODI), Auckland.

Dec 27: Reserve Day. Dec 29: v NZ, (2nd ODI), Napier. Dec 30: Res Day Jan 2: v NZ (3rd ODI), Queenstown. Jan 4: v NZ (4th ODI), Christchurch. Jan 5: Res Day. Jan 8: v NZ (5th ODI), Wellington. Jan 9: Res Day. Jan 10-12: v Auckland, Auckland. Jan 15-19: v NZ (1st test), Hamilton. Jan 22-26: v NZ (2nd test), Wellington. 

- HERALD ON SUNDAY