New Zealand are not losing any sleep over the likely behaviour of the Eden Park pitch for tomorrow's one-day cricket international against the West Indies.
The pitch was the centre of controversy last summer when the couch grass failed to strike, leaving groundstaff with little choice but to gluethe surface together for the first test against South Africa.
It again raised some eyebrows this week when Wellington were bowled out for 111 in a Shell Cup match, but New Zealand coach David Trist said he was confident of a good cricket wicket for the opening one-dayer of the National Bank series.
"They've worked hard on the Eden Park wicket and weather permitting, it should prove to be an excellent ODI surface," he said.
"We're not too concerned about the Shell Cup match. That was a few days ago and these things change dramatically in a short space of time. The experts know what they're doing, and I'm sure by the time the game rolls around they'll have taken a lot of the colour out of it.
"We've been very pleased with the pitches prepared during this series. It's a good sign that New Zealand Cricket and the relevant ground authorities seem to be getting it right."
