New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has heaped praise on the region on the eve of Mount Maunganui's first taste of international cricket.

The skipper, who will lead his side against South Africa on Tuesday, was in buoyant mood at the Bay Oval, and insisted the Black Caps are up for the challenge over the coming days.

And as well as hinting at confidence in the dressing room, the 33-year-old had kind words to say about the debut venue.

'Grounds like this getting these opportunities is a sign of the times,” he said, 'and it looks fantastic.

'The ground looks amazing, especially for this time of year, and the pitch looks really good too.

'The boys are looking forward to playing against a top international team so early in the season.”

And when quizzed about the importance of bringing one-day internationals to grounds such as the Bay Oval, the right-handed batsmen said: 'It's crucial.

'You only have to look at our team and you'll see people from this area, so it's a pretty strong region.

'For those guys to have the opportunity to play here, and for youngsters of this region to have the opportunity to see their heroes, makes it real for them. That can only be good for the game.

'You only have to look out and see how beautiful the ground is and how amazing the region is. Let's hope for some clear skies, that the wicket plays true and New Zealand win.”

The Black Caps warm up for Tuesday's clash with South Africa at the Mount Oval. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

As well as looking forward to this week, Brendon also has one eye on next year's World Cup, and is hoping the challenge of facing the number-two side in the world will work to their advantage when the tournament begins next February.

'It's a tough start,” he adds 'They're minus a couple of players, but for us to win the World Cup next year we need to go into it with momentum, which means playing some good cricket going into it.

'We've got to build some depth in some areas as well, and that's why this is a great opportunity for us to get some cricket into guys who may not have had the chance.

'It's a big tour for us. A week against a top-two team is never going to be easy but we're up for the challenge and we know that if we stick to our game-plan – like we did so well last year - then we've got a chance.”

The first one-day international between New Zealand and South Africa gets underway at the Bay Oval at 10:30am on Tuesday. Tickets will be available at the gate. For more information, visit: www.bayoval.co.nz