New Zealand's senior allrounder Jacob Oram says three months off the park is no excuse for the Black Caps not performing in their two Twenty20 matches against the West Indies in Florida.

Oram's side play Sunday and Monday morning (NZ time) and will have the next three days working hard at the Central Broward Regional Park ground in Lauderhill, Florida ahead of the first game.

Oram said while it was great the team looked fresh and healthy, turning off-field fitness into match performances would be crucial.

''Everyone should be fresh and fit after three months of just gym work, running the roads and bowling indoors,'' he said.

''The key now is turning that fitness into match performances and I think that's always the hard thing.''

Oram and the bowling group spent a week in Brisbane training before heading to the United States, but preparing on the low slow wickets in Lauderhill are the best preparation, he said.

''You can't beat actually getting to where you're going to play.

''The next three days are vital to our performance looking to the weekend.''

It is understood New Zealand Cricket sent leading groundsman Mark Perham to the ground to help with the pitch which was low and slow when New Zealand played Sri Lanka in two Twenty20 matches in 2010, but Oram said the New Zealand side were expecting and preparing for the same conditions this weekend.

- © Fairfax NZ News