Despite earthquake, Christchurch Test to go as scheduled

The first Test of the two-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Hagley Oval is expected to go ahead as scheduled on November 17 despite a 7.5 magnitude earthquake that hit Christchurch and adjoining areas, said a New Zealand Cricket spokesperson.

Pakistan were in Nelson to play a three-day tour game before the first Test when they were shaken on Sunday by a strong earthquake. However, they will prepare for the Test match as per schedule.

"Preparations for the Test are going ahead, but we are continuing to monitor the situation," a New Zealand Cricket spokesperson was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.com.

"It's just a case of staying in touch with authorities," he added.

Both Pakistan and New Zealand teams arrived in Christchurch on Monday and have training sessions scheduled for Tuesday.

However, Christchurch and the adjoining areas continued to be hit by aftershocks and these are expected to continue through the next week as well.

Earlier, Pakistan team manager Wasim Bari said that the New Zealand Cricket had assured his side of their safety, in the team hotel and at the ground.

"We are staying at a hotel in Nelson, where we were playing our tour match but today when the earthquake came it was a terrifying experience as everything was shaking badly and we were safely escorted out of the hotel," he said.

The team manager, however, insisted that the hotel staff took great care of them and quickly evacuated them from the seventh floor rooms and took them to a safe zone until the Tsunami warnings were over.

"Most of the players were in their rooms watching the India and England Test when it came, the quake was a powerful one and the windows and doors were banging around and it was shaking as we were rushed out. But everyone has settled down now and we also called up the women's team in Christchurch to find out if they were okay," the former Test captain said.

Pakistan is in New Zealand for a two-test series, while the women's team is also there for a five match ODI series and are already three down in the rubber.

A Tsunami warning has been issued by the civil defence for the entire east coast and said the situation is being assessed by it with the assistance of scientific advisers and civil defence groups. It is reported that two people have been killed in the earthquakes and the aftershocks thereafter.