TEST cricket should still be played in Chester-le-Street for the first time this summer regardless of England's decision to pull out of their World Cup tie in Zimbabwe.

Durham County Cricket Club chairman Bill Midgley said he still hopes England will face Zimbabwe over five days at the Riverside ground in June, despite the national team's decision not to play this week's World Cup opener in Harare.

Should the Zimbabwe team refuse to tour England as some form of reprisal, Mr Midgley confirmed that alternative opposition has been pencilled in to ensure the historic test match goes ahead on schedule, on June 5.

But Mr Midgley hopes England opting out of the Zimbabwe leg of the World Cup will not have ramifications with other test-playing countries.

"The decision should have been taken some months ago not to play in Harare.

"England should have withdrawn from the game in the middle of last year.

"As things stand Zimbabwe are still coming. We have not heard anything officially to say they are not.

"It's only my personal interpretation, but there's no indication they won't come.

"But if they don't, and a lot can happen in three or four months in Zimbabwe, there's still a contingency in place."

Mr Midgley said he hoped any lingering ill-feeling over England's decision on the Harare game does not spread to other Test-playing nations.

He said the club put 'no pressure' on the two Durham players in the England squad, bowler Steve Harmison and all-rounder Paul Collingwood, over the Zimbabwe issue, but added that they would have been 'concerned' over the apparent death threats made to the party.

Tickets have already gone on sale for June's ground breaking test match at the Riverside.