Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Ricky Skerritt has said that the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) USD 3 million loan to West Indies was a 'helping hand' in the coronavirus crisis and had nothing to do with the Caribbean side touring England.
All international cricket has been suspended since March due to coronavirus and the series between England-West Indies will mark the return of international cricket.
England will be playing three-match Test series against West Indies behind closed doors beginning from July 8. The matches will be held at Hampshire's Ageas Bowl and Lancashire's Emirates Old Trafford. These two venues have been chosen as bio-secure venues.
"It was just a matter of when the tour would take place and if the ECB could assure the CWI medical experts that the health risk would be minimal to ensure the safety of our players and staff," ESPNCricinfo quoted Skerritt as saying.
"Money had nothing to do with our final decision to make this tour. Holding out a hand for a pay-off is not the way CWI does business," he said.
The apex body of cricket in West Indies had approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) in April 'seeking an advance' of USD 3 million.
"We needed cash urgently. The communication (with ICC) was beginning to look like it would take quite long to be approved and CWI had no other reliable source of cash at that time," said Skerritt.
It was then the CWI president approached the ECB.
"ECB agreed on the basis that ICC would then pay the advance back directly in July. ICC Finance officials were always fully aware of the transparent arrangements and soon became a legal party to the loan agreement," said Skerritt.
( With inputs from ANI )
