Chester-le-Street is the first new Test venue in a century

Durham County Cricket Club says it expects to have international cricket every year from now on.

It follows the smooth running of the first Test Match to be played at their Chester-le-Street ground.

Durham Cricket Club says the three-day game between England and Zimbabwe was a success, on the field as well as off it.

More than 30,000 spectators watched the match over the three days.

The club's chief executive, David Harker, said everything went smoothly and that they are on target to make as much money as they'd expected.

In 2004 the club is hosting a one-day international, and expects to have one of those or a Test match every year from now on.

New venue

The only disruption to the recent Test was from demonstrators protesting against Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe.

Protesters against the regime wanted a total boycott of the match at Durham County Cricket Club's ground in Chester-le-Street.

After lengthy talks with the cricket club they agreed to keep their protests to outside the Chester-le-Street ground.

The Riverside ground was the first new Test venue for over a hundred years.