Cricket: Quicks keen on fast pitch

Neil Wagner was hopeful was a quick and bouncy pitch in Christchurch. Photo / Getty

The Black Caps' quick bowlers are licking their lips at the prospect of a fast and bouncy Boxing Day pitch in Christchurch.

After seven weeks on largely lifeless wickets in the United Arab Emirates, the New Zealand squad have trained at Hagley Oval ahead of this week's first test against Sri Lanka.

It's the first test at the ground but several of the Black Caps have played there domestically, and Neil Wagner likes what he has seen of the pitch.

"When we played last on it there was quite a bit of bounce and pace, which obviously excites every bowler, so it looks pretty good and we're pretty excited by that," he said.

Wagner, who was vying with Doug Bracewell for a place in the Black Caps XI, said the team had been told the test pitch was the same as the net wickets.

"And the nets played pretty good. It was nice and quick and had a bit of bounce to it, so it definitely excited all of the bowlers."

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan cricket commentator Russell Arnold has identified the Black Caps' new ball bowlers as the tourists' biggest threat.

Arnold recalled Tim Southee and Trent Boult proving a real handful for the Sri Lankan batsmen on the flat pitches of the sub-continent two years ago, meaning they would likely be even tougher on seamer-friendly pitches.

Arnold said the Black Caps bowlers even swinging the ball in Colombo, which was something he hadn't seen before.