London: 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," a leading cricket website quoted Skerritt as saying.
