Authorities are playing down the theft of five Cricket World Cup laptops from an accreditation centre, in an embarrassing security lapse revealed a day before the opening ceremony.

Five Cricket World Cup laptops containing vetting information were stolen from the Christchurch accreditation centre overnight Saturday.

Superintendent Gary Knowles told reporters the laptops were stolen from the guarded Christchurch Netball Centre in Hagley Park.

Knowles initially said the computers contained "information of a very low level in relation to vetting of volunteers and things".

"ICC have advised that the laptops do not contain any personal information and there is no threat to security around the Cricket World Cup 2015 events," he said in a later press release.

The netball centre has been used as a base for volunteers to issue accreditation passes.

"They will not impact, any way, here or Australia in terms of security, they are securely passworded. We would just like to get those back."

Knowles said police were happy with the security measures in place around the netball centre at the time of the break in, and confirmed at least one security guard was present.

"Police are satisfied that the ICC has had sufficient security in place in the lead up to the Cricket World Cup launch tomorrow."

He said police were working with ICC and other partners to retrieve the laptops which have been replaced.

When asked if this was an embarrassing blunder just three days from the World Cup opener on Saturday, Knowles refused to answer and referred further questions to Cricket World Cup organisers.

In a statement, the ICC Cricket World Cup said the local organising committee was confident of security measures but it had increased security at the Christchurch accreditation centre and other accreditation centres as a precaution.

"These computers contained no sensitive information and the accreditation system was not compromised," the statement said.

POLICE IN FORCE AT OPENING

Up to 100 uniformed and plain clothed police officers will monitor the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony in Christchurch's North Hagley Park from 6.30pm tomorrow.

With tens of thousands expected for the free event, Knowles said police had beefed up CCTV surveillance in the area which would feed live coverage to the 24/7 district command centre at the Christchurch Police Station.

Targeted drink drive checkpoints will be set up around the city throughout the week.

"We have planned for every event," he said.

More than 1 million people are expected to visit New Zealand and Australia during the six-week tournament.

New Zealand will host 23 games in seven cities; Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington, with the opening match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Christchurch on Saturday.

Knowles said police annual leave applications had been cancelled, as resources were pulled from around the region to ensure the safety of fans and players at World Cup hotspots around Canterbury.

"We have extended our CCTV network right throughout the district . . . We have got all the venues covered, the hotels covered and the teams covered."

Knowles said police would draw on their experience of other major events in the city, including the success of the Boxing Day Test and the annual Cup and Show Week.

BANNED LIST "COMPREHENSIVE"

A "comprehensive" list of banned foreigners has been developed to fight corruption during the tournament.

Superintendent Sandra Manderson said the list was created with Australian police, the ICC and intelligence sources to stop illegal bookmakers from entering New Zealand and Australia during the six weeks of play.

She said some people had already been refused visas to New Zealand, but she could not say how many or what countries they travelled from.

"Honeytraps" also featured on the list, she said, They are woman associated with bookies who attempt to lure players into fixing matches.

"Maybe they take photographs of these people. . . it might just be just in a bar, they might throw their arms around someone, they might appear at their bedroom door. It is happening, it's not something we dream up."

She said those photographs could then be used to blackmail players into corruption.

Manderson said the terror level was rated as "low" for New Zealand during the tournament.