Cricket: Black Caps and Llong kiss and make up

Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum has no hard feelings towards umpire Nigel Llong. Photo / Getty

No hard feelings; that sums up New Zealand's attitude towards English umpire Nigel Llong as he prepares to officiate in the two tests against Sri Lanka.

Llong's blunder as third umpire in the third test against Australia in Adelaide last month - when he erroneously opted to give tailender Nathan Lyon not out a Hot Spot call, which turned the match decisively away from New Zealand - is in the past, according to skipper Brendon McCullum.

The 46-year-old will officiate in both tests aainst the Sri Lankans, in the middle, having been shifted off TV umpire duties for the second test in Hamilton later this month.

"He made a couple of mistakes [in Australia] and whilst it's frustrating at the time, we've moved on and the good thing for Nigel is he's able to get back on the horse and get out there," McCullum said.

"At the moment we do have outstanding umpires and we have a couple operating here."

Llong is sharing the duties with fellow Englishman Richard Kettleborough and former Australian seamer Paul Reiffel.

McCullum exchanged pleasantries with Llong at breakfast yesterday and said he is "100 per cent confident" in him, calling Llong "a world class umpire".

"There's no hard feelings. Everyone's trying to do their best and they're going to make occasional mistakes. That doesn't change that they are good people and excellent umpires."

It will be Llong's 13th test out of 34 in the middle involving New Zealand and his third at University Oval, after his debut in the 2008 game against Bangladesh and the West Indies test two years ago.

He has been on third official duties in 19 tests.