Cricket authorities in New Zealand have taken the current trend for mobility (think phones, computers and walkmans) one step further by using a portable pitch for international one-day matches.

The pitch, which is grown in a tray offsite, was ratified by the International Cricket Council at a meeting in Singapore this week.

Cricket NZ chief executive Christopher Doig said: "This will give us tremendous flexibility in setting out international programmes."

Australia was understood to be also seeking approval for the use of a one-day pitch, Doig said.

Trials of the pitch - which will be moved by crane to the playing field in Auckland - began last season.

A game between New Zealand and the 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.