Here comes the 'portable' pitch...

AUCKLAND, FEB. 11. The International Cricket Council has given New Zealand the `go-ahead' for using a portable pitch in the one- dayers, New Zealand Cricket said on Friday. The approval to use the new pitch was given at the ICC meeting in Singapore this week.

``This will give us tremendous flexibility in setting out international programmes as cricket in the major stadia in New Zealand so often comes into conflict with Rugby,'' Cricket New Zealand chief executive Christopher Doig said.

Australia is also understood to be seeking the nod for the use of a portable one-day pitch, Doig said.

Trials for the portable pitch - grown in a tray off- site and moved by crane to the playing field - began last season. A tie between New Zealand and West Indies was played on a portable pitch earlier this summer and the players noticed no difference from a traditional surface, NZ Cricket operations manager John Reid said.

- Reuters

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Section  : Sport
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