After the cauldron-like conditions of test cricket in Australia, Black Caps bowler Tim Southee says he's looking forward to playing back on home soil.

New Zealand take on Sri Lanka at the University Oval in Dunedin tomorrow (Thursday, December 10) in the first of two ANZ International tests ahead of one-day and T20 dates in Mount Maunganui next month.

Black Caps bowler Tim Southee. Photo: Ross Brown.

Tim insists it is great to be playing on grounds that he feels will give the home side a slight edge.

'It is nice to be home,” he admits.

'The weather is typical Dunedin I guess. We find it cold, so I'm sure the Sri Lankans will find it even worse. But it is nice to be back in conditions we are familiar with.”

The Oval has a slight tinge of green to it, which should benefit the side who bowls first, and Tim says he's keen to get back out in the field and bowl.

'I think we were off a little in Australia at times, from the standards we usually operate at.

'But we showed at times, especially in Adelaide and Perth, what we are capable of and when we get it right, we are a very dangerous bowling attack.”

The right arm medium-fast bowler says the bowlers would be looking to improve from their performances across the ditch.

'We're back to conditions we are familiar with and grounds we are familiar with, and hopefully we can show the high standards we have shown in the last couple of years and continue that form.”

NZ will face a relatively new-look Sri Lankan team, but Tim says the bowlers aren't taking the side who are ranked one place below them in the test rankings for granted.

'It is a new look side,” he says, 'and obviously we know a little bit more about a couple of guys from the last tour last year.

'It's exciting for them, and for a lot of the guys it's their first time in New Zealand. I guess it's a chance for them to press their claims for future tours, so they've got plenty to play for.”

The test gets underway at 10am tomorrow.