Former Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera, now part of the support staff of the New Zealand cricket team, is backing the Kiwis to negotiate the vicious turn that the Galle wicket is likely to offer in the first of the two Tests starting on August 14. Sri Lanka have named three spinners -- Lasith Embuldeniya (left-arm orthodox), Lakshan Sandakan (left-arm wristspinner) and Akila Dananjaya (the mystery spinner) in their 15-man squad. The second Test will be played in Colombo from August 22. The series is part of the World Test Championship. (Video courtesy: NZC)
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00:00 a week now. Can you tell us how you found it? I think really good. New Zealand people
00:06 are very cool and humble. I love to work with them and the moment so far everything went
00:12 really well. I think today we had a very good session, three, four hours. I think boys maximised
00:19 the conditions. I think that's very important because normally goal having a spinning wicket,
00:27 Sri Lankan love to play goal, Sri Lanka team. I think we are getting there. There's obviously
00:34 been undercovers a lot and it might be still undercovers tomorrow as well. What does that
00:41 maybe mean for the pitch that they will play on? I think at the moment what I saw, I can't
00:46 say goal one turning, but it's normally five sessions with the whole wicket. Then after
00:55 that started to spin, but started to spin very slowly normally in goal, but very less
01:01 bounce. I think we have to be careful with that bounce. You've been working quite a lot
01:05 in the nets it looks like, trying the spinners. How do you think New Zealanders, these guys,
01:10 our team play spin? I think they improved a lot. No need to say Ken Williamson is one
01:16 of the leading top players in the world. I think other boys are getting really well and
01:23 they won the UAE after many more years. UAE good win against Pakistan, very hard team
01:30 to beat in UAE. Henry Nichols, a lot of boys playing spin really well. How have you enjoyed
01:36 working with Coach Gary Stead and Peter Fulton? Brilliant. I think all the coaching staff,
01:42 I suppose staff, really cool and very easy to work and very easy to communicate. I think
01:48 that's the main thing. Finally, what tips have you given the boys about playing in the
01:52 heat over here? Any tips for that? Not much tips. I think I talk about how to play spin
01:59 and general local knowledge and playing knowledge. I pass it to the players and the support staff.
02:09 How tough a contest do you think it will be? It's tough. I think Sri Lanka, they have a
02:18 very good team, honestly. Especially they won the last UAE series against South Africa,
02:24 that's a massive win. They are pretty confident. I think this one is a keen tussle but good
02:30 thing is New Zealand have four spinners. I think that's a very plus point for New Zealand.
02:34 - Yeah.