The onset of test cricket will bring the equivalent of a six-hit boost to the North-East economy, business experts believe.

A report by Durham University Business School outlines the potential benefit of up to 60,000 spectators coming to Chester-le-Street over the course of the five-day match with Zimbabwe next month.

Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside ground stages the second of the npower-sponsored series, from June 5 - 9, the first ever test match in the region.

Hotels, shops, pubs, restaurants and other commercial outlets, particularly those in the Chester-le-Street area, will be the big winners.

But should the historic event prove a success and Durham go on to secure a test on the cricket calendar for each of the following five years, the report estimates around £12.2m would be generated by fans alone.

Apart from the injection of spectators' spending power, the report points to the media coverage of the event, and its like-for-like value to the region in promotional and advertising cost terms through television, radio plus national and regional newspapers.

The business school team estimated this level of output would cost up to £60m in marketing terms to the potential tv, radio and newspaper audience, many of whom could become future tourists and inward investors to the North-East as a result.

Andy Duff, npower chief executive officer, welcomed the report's findings.

"This is good news for the North-East and backs up our findings that sponsoring test match cricket brings a positive economic benefit to the regions where it is played.

"June 5 will be an historic day when Durham makes cricketing history by becoming the first new test match ground in 101 years, and the whole region should be celebrating."

The report estimates the average spend of each fan at the test will be £76.47, with one third of the crowd travelling from outside the region, mainly from Yorkshire, Humberside and the North-West.

It also expects most spectators to be male, and to travel to Chester-le-Street by car, with an average occupancy of four per vehicle.

npower, one of the UK's top three energy suppliers, is the sponsor of all test match cricket in England.

* Tickets for the Riverside test match are available by calling the box office on 0191-387 5151, or the 24-hour booking hotline, on 0870-909 0190.

* The cost is £25 per day for adults over each of the first four days, and £10 for days one to three for children. A £5 charge is on offer for children for the fourth day, Sunday June 8.