Full steam ahead for Christchurch Test

The Australian cricket team will fly to Christchurch as planned with the second Test unaffected by Sunday's 5.7-magnitude earthquake.

The second cricket Test between New Zealand and Australia is going "full steam ahead" with no apparent damage to Hagley Oval from Sunday's earthquake.

The 5.7-magnitude tremor rattled the city just days ahead of the fifth anniversary of the deadly and devastating 6.3-magnitude 2011 shake.

Hagley Oval is being readied for the second cricket Test, starting on Saturday and did not suffer any apparent damage.

"The groundsman was there when the thing hit and reported no damage to the pitch, outfield or bank," NZ Cricket head of operations Lyndsay Crocker told AAP.

"The pavilion's only been up a couple of years, it's built well beyond the code, 130 per cent I think."

Built-in indicators would have been triggered to show if it was compromised, he said.

Nevertheless, engineers were still going over it on Monday and should give it the official all clear later in the day.

The hotel where the teams were staying was also being examined by engineers, despite being built to the tougher new building standards, Crocker said.

"It's full steam ahead, really."

Australian captain Steve Smith was not concerned about his team's safety.

"Hopefully all the people of Christchurch are OK," he told reporters after his side won the first Test in Wellington by an innings and 52 runs.

"Cricket Australia are working closely, in conjunction with Cricket New Zealand, and as far as I am aware we are travelling tomorrow or the day after and everything will go ahead as planned."

Crocker said no alternatives had been arranged in the event of a serious quake, which was also a possibility in Wellington.


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Source: AAP



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