New Zealand quick Tim Southee says their first Test preparation has been "as good as it gets" despite their Blacktown tour match debacle.
The Black Caps were forced to organise training sessions in Brisbane for Sunday at the last minute after their tour match with a Cricket Australia XI was abandoned due to the deteriorating Blacktown pitch.
Cricket Australia officials are believed to have apologised to the Kiwis, although Australian coach Darren Lehmann raised eyebrows on Sunday when he said the pitch "couldn't have been that bad" if CA XI made 1(dec)-503.
New Zealand arrived in Brisbane on Saturday, a day earlier than expected due to the tour match farce.
But Southee tried to allay fears that New Zealand would be short of match practice as they look to seal their first Test series win in Australia in 30 years.
Asked if they were "behind the eight ball", Southee said: "Not at all.
"We had a hit out in first class cricket coming over, we had a good few days in Canberra and got some great facilities here (Brisbane's Centre of Excellence).
"The match situation is not there but in terms of facilities and competition at training this is as good as it gets.
"The guys are very appreciative of Cricket Australia and the facilities that they have managed to get up and running in short notice."
Lehmann tried not to be drawn on the Blacktown pitch fiasco but admitted the scoreboard indicated there were no dramas for batsmen.
Both Ryan Carters and Aaron Finch thrashed double tons in CA XI's 1(dec)-503 before play was abandoned.
"It is a tough one, having not seen it. If you are not there you can't really judge it," Lehmann said of the Blacktown pitch.
"They were 1-500 so it couldn't have been that bad but I wasn't there.
"It would have been nice for the game to keep playing, you've still got to give everyone the best opportunity to play."
Still buzzing from the All Blacks' World Cup win, Southee said New Zealand looked forward to seeing how they measured up at the bouncy Gabba deck.
Australia has not lost a Gabba Test since 1988.
But the Black Caps will be backing themselves after losing only three of their past 17 Tests over two years.
"But one of the strengths of the side is that we don't get too far ahead of ourselves, we know it is going to be a hard series," Southee said.
"We haven't had a lot of success at the Gabba but nor have a lot of touring sides.
"It is always a tough way to start the tour but there is no reason why we can't achieve what we want."
The Black Caps will get their first look at the Gabba deck when they train there on Monday.
The first Test starts on Thursday.
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