Despite getting through training yesterday Sri Lankan paceman Lasith Malinga won't pull on his spikes for today's dead-rubber one-day international at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
Malinga, who has been limited by an ankle injury recently, would have provided the Black Caps with a stern examination before their World Cup opener against the Sri Lankans in Christchurch on February 14.
"I don't think Lasith will play this game," Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Lahiru Thirimanne said. "We want him fit for the World Cup, mainly, so he will have another one-and-a-half weeks to try and get fit."
New Zealand also play two matches against Pakistan during the next week but their seam attack will hardly send quivers down the spines of the likes of Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson or Ross Taylor.
Perhaps one negative takeaway from New Zealand's series victory over Sri Lanka is they haven't been pushed out of their comfort zone against accurate seam bowling, particularly at the death, as the visitors have regularly missed their lengths.
Black Caps batting coach Craig McMillan said his side would be ready for Malinga at the World Cup opener.
"We know that he'll be playing that first match," McMillan said. "We haven't seen him throughout the series but a lot of the guys have faced him at different times in their career."
McMillan acknowledged that sides like England, South Africa and Australia, who boast varied attacks with notable pace, would be a threat at the World Cup given wickets on both sides of the Tasman should offer some assistance with their bounce.
"I think those quick bowlers come to the fore and certainly add an extra dimension with that extra pace," McMillan said.
"The sides that have quality fast-bowling, and especially if they can pick up wickets at the top and put sides under pressure, will end up doing pretty well throughout the tournament."
New Zealand will play South Africa in a World Cup warm-up game in two weeks but it's hard to know how many overs the likes of Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel will bowl.
New Zealand's batting line-up is adept at playing pace and despite their lack of match-practice against such bowlers, McMillan didn't think it was a major concern.
"By and large, our guys are pretty comfortable with where they're at."
- by Daniel Richardson of NZME. News Service
