After a one month break and a one-sided Bangladesh series, the Black Caps' summer begins in earnest this evening with the first Twenty20 international against Australia in Wellington.
Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori says they have been looking ahead to Australia's arrival for some time. He says the squad knows its summer will be judged on the performances in this series and the players know they are going to have to improve significantly.
Vettori says the likes of Ross Taylor, Shane Bond and Jacob Oram need to step up if they are to have any chance of beating Australia.
He and his Australian counterpart, Michael Clarke, appreciate the importance of winning tonight, to gain the early initiative. Australia have won 17 of their 19 internationals at home this summer.
"We haven't been as good as we'd like in this form," Clarke told the Herald ahead of tonight's match.
"New Zealand have got a wonderful Twenty20 side and we know we'll have to be at our best."
Taylor makes it clear he views the Aussies as the supreme challenge.
"I don't think anyone has to psych us up," he told the Herald yesterday.
"Everyone knows it's a big game, but I don't think playing us down as underdogs or pumping us up is going to affect the boys at all. They've just got to get themselves up and take them on."
Tonight's match is scheduled to get underway at seven o'clock.
Cricket: NZ, Australia set for Twenty20 showdown
Follow live scoring at nzherald.co.nz from 7pm. Photo / Getty Images
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