That is what New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is hoping for from the Basin Reserve pitch when the second test gets under way in Wellington on Thursday.
Ultimately rain ruined what could have been an exciting finish to the first test between New Zealand and England at the University Oval.
Poor weather meant play did not start until the second day. But the lifeless surface also played a part in helping England escape with a draw.
The pitch did not break up as you might expect. It was low and slow and a real slog out there for all concerned. Runs were hard to score and wickets difficult to chisel out.
New Zealand stuck to the task. Neil Wagner was tremendous, Trent Boult unerring in line and length and Bruce Martin toiled hard.
"The bowlers were huge,'' McCullum said.
"To be able to stand up and bowl as well as what they did, and for as long as what they did, on a pretty unresponsive pitch was a phenomenal effort.
''They will be stiff and sore tonight but they know they were standing up and trying to bowl us to a win which is exactly what you want from your bowling unit.
''I'm certainly not unhappy with the pitch'', he said, adding the lost day meant the surface was only four playing days old and he would liked to have seen how it performed during a fifth day.
"A couple of years ago against Pakistan on that last day we saw a bit of variable bounce and a little bit more reverse swing as the pitch got more abrasive. If there was a sixth day in this test match maybe that is what would have unfolded.''
McCullum said his side threw everything at England to find a way through its defence but came up against a side ''hell-bent on ensuring they didn't lose.
''On a surface like that they would have had to make a few mistakes in that second innings.
''I'll look back on that test match and I'll think it has been an outstanding effort from our team and it is the standard we need to be operating at more consistently in test cricket.''
