Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in the decisive Test inside four days by 164 runs to take the series 2-1.
``When the whole team has played better cricket, you really have to give them the credit. It's very hard to take it when you play well in the first Test and not adapt to the conditions here,'' said Fleming.
New Zealand won the first Test at the R. Premadasa Stadium by 167 runs and Sri Lanka drew level by winning the second Test played at Galle by an innings and 16 runs.
``I don't think we helped ourselves in terms of the mental toughness involved in adapting to different situations that we haven't come across before,'' said Fleming.
``The last two pitches were quite different to the first one. The first one, we thought was a very good Test wicket. The next two perhaps brought more luck into the game than skill. It's living on the edge. You can't research much when you've been outplayed in two Tests where there have been wickets which perhaps aren't usual Test wickets.
``The wickets were unpredictable with the bounce and the turn. We bowled more four balls than what the Sri Lankan spinners bowled. When you bowl like that, it takes the pressure off and you don't have to take the risk of going down the wicket.
``I was disappointed with the top six of our batting. We really failed to take command apart from the first Test, whereas we should have been putting the icing on the cake. We were under a lot of pressure by some good close-in catching and some good penetrating spin bowling in the last two Tests,'' said Fleming.
``The Test series is gone now. We had a chance to win the series and that's gone. Our next goal is the one-day tournament. It's a completely different kettle of fish to the Test series. We got to regroup and get into the one-day mood,'' he said.
New Zealand's Australian-born coach Steve Rixon said a number of players had obviously a lot to play for in the Singer Independence Cup starting on Friday.
``Craig McMillan is one of them. He is a good player and I am sure he is very disappointed. He is a guy who is a lot better than what he showed in the Test series. He has to prove himself in the one-day series,'' said Rixon.
``We look at the one-day series as the next stepping stone. Basically, we got to make sure that every time we lose we try to take something out of it, not dwell on the negativity of it all.
``We are probably in the top five one-day teams in the world. There's no question about that. It's just a matter of us getting it right on the day. A little more consistency is required and, we are really getting into a stage where there couldn't be too many excuses. We got a good balanced side that can win a tournament and we are looking forward to this being our first away win,'' said Rixon.
``It's always happy to win a series, but we cannot go overboard by these results,'' said Sri Lanka team manager Ranjit Fernando.
``You cannot get ecstatic and say that you are champions of the world or something. I see that we are a potentially and extremely good side, but we have about 30 to 40 percent more work to do. New Zealand played well, but I am sure they have learnt a few things from us and we from them,'' he said.
Fernando praised new coach Roy Dias for bringing about a vast improvement in the fielding.
``There was quite a dramatic improvement in the fielding thanks to Dias. He has done a great job in this very short space of time. However, the youngsters in particular, don't seem to have reached the type of fitness they should have. I don't think Alex (Kountouri, the physio) has had enough time with them. It is of primary importance to our cricket that we concentrate on the fitness of our 'A' team,'' said Fernando.
The manager warned not to overrate the new left-arm spin bowler Niroshan Bandaratilake.
``Don't think that a great bowler has been discovered, he has a long way to go. He has just played his first series on wickets that have been helpful. There's a lot to learn,'' said Fernando.
Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga said that his team used the full advantage of playing at home.
``New Zealand have played cricket many more years ahead of us, but the advantage was with us especially playing at home in conditions which are familiar to us. Although they played well in the first Test, we played better in the second and third Tests,'' said Ranatunga.
He said the series produced two young cricketers of the future in Mahela Jayawardene and Bandaratilake.
``In Mahela we have found a technically correct player in the middle-order. Likewise, we have found a left-arm spinner in Bandaratilake. He is a very young lad and he is very keen. I hope he will get a little fitter and bowl more consistently. I hope he can go a long way because Sri Lanka cricket needs a left-arm spinner,'' Ranatunga said.