ECB Sets Precedent with Tour Fee for Zimbabwe in Historic Move

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will become the first host board to pay a touring fee in bilateral cricket when Zimbabwe visits for a test match next year, said ECB chief Richard Gould. This groundbreaking move aims to address the financial challenges faced by smaller cricketing nations.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will become the first host board in the modern era to pay a touring fee in bilateral cricket when Zimbabwe arrive for a one-off test next year, according to ECB chief Richard Gould. In an interview with Sky Sports on Friday, Gould stated that the ECB, along with other financially strong boards like those of India and Australia, have a significant responsibility to maintain the competitiveness of test cricket.

The popularity of the longest format of the game has waned outside traditional cricket heartlands due to the global rise of lucrative Twenty20 leagues, along with the financial strains smaller countries face in sustaining test cricket. Gould highlighted the outdated nature of revenue distribution in bilateral matches. Typically, the touring team arranges its own travel and accommodation, but does not receive a fee for playing.

Next year, however, when Zimbabwe tours England for a test match in May at an undecided venue, the ECB will provide a touring fee. This will mark Zimbabwe's first bilateral cricket tour to England since 2003 and sets a new precedent for supporting smaller cricketing nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)