Adapt or perish on Aussie pitches

Blunting Australia's pace attack on fast bowler-friendly pitches looms as New Zealand's biggest challenge this summer, according to star batsman Kane Williamson.

Australia's fast bowling cartel failed to fire consistently during the Ashes on a mixture of benign tracks and lively green seamers, but in their own backyard in familiar conditions they're a different proposition.

"They've got a world-class attack," Williamson told cricket.com.au. "And that's the nature of playing over here in these conditions.

"The fast, bouncy wickets, they (Australia) seem to produce a lot of good quick bowlers and from our perspective, like when you tour other countries, it's really important to adapt and prepare accordingly.

"Here in Australia they've got very good quick bowlers on bouncier wickets so that's something we need to look at." 

WATCH: Williamson starts tour off in style with half-century in Canberra

The Black Caps will need to learn on their feet, with the Gabba and WACA Ground wickets, the venues of the first and second Commonwealth Bank Tests, being two of the quickest and bounciest on the planet.

Compounding that challenge has been New Zealand's three tour matches being staged on slow pitches in Canberra and Blacktown.

Canberra's Manuka Oval hosted New Zealand for a day-night pink ball 50-over contest and a two-day tour match on a dead-wicket track that produced only four wickets against the red ball with eight batsman retiring to allow their teammates a hit.

In Blacktown, in a three-day match which was reduced by a day to allow the visitors an extra training session in Brisbane prior to Thursday's first Test, the tourists were made to field for four sessions in the baking heat as Aaron Finch and Ryan Carters combined for the highest first-class opening stand in Australia on a pitch that was devoid of grass and one which resembled a day four strip in Mumbai.

Described as a "jigsaw with half the pieces missing" by New Zealand coach Mike Hesson, the Blacktown pitch was ruled unfit for first-class cricket and the match abandoned once Cricket Australia XI captain Ashton Turner declared at 1-503 20 minutes before lunch on day two.

READ: Tour match abandoned after pitch concerns

Having last played Test cricket in England, where the two-Test series was drawn one-all, Williamson says the preparation for the Australia assignment hasn't been ideal but is confident his teammates have the experience to be ready for Brisbane.

"In England, the ball moves sideways a lot and you perhaps have to look to play it later or whichever way you want to skin it," Williamson said.

"Over here (in Australia), it's nice to have good preparation on surfaces that might be similar. So that's probably an added challenge (with the Blacktown abandonment).

"It's fine, we've been here for quite a while now, we've had many nets, a lot of the guys have played here before.

"It's important that there's a lot of those discussions so guys can best prepare.

"There's a lot of talk about back foot play in this part of the world – I'm sure that'll be a part of it.

"There's three Tests in this series, so as long as we're taking steps forward in each match then I'm sure we'll be playing some good cricket." 

WATCH: Mitchell Starc was unstoppable in the Matador Cup

Williamson and co. will face a fast bowling attack comprised of Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle, with no player in hotter form than Starc after his record-breaking Matador BBQs One-Day Cup form.

The lethal left-arm quick was the 2015 World Cup's player of the tournament, and delivered the critical blow in the final when a searing inswinging yorker bowled McCullum from the fifth ball of the match.

But despite his purple patch, Williamson says Starc isn't the only worry for New Zealand this summer.

"He's been world-class," Williamson said of Starc.

"Certainly his white-ball cricket's been second to none and he's been doing extremely well in Test cricket.

"There's a lot of threats in their side and from our perspective it's important we focus on our cricket and we know that when we do play our best cricket we can beat anyone on our day."