Viv Richards to play for Lashings against Kent

Kent's day-night challenge game against Lashings club side at Canterbury on 6th August will be graced by the presence of the great West Indian Sir Viv Richards.

The former Windies captain is to come out of retirement for the game, and is expected to play around six matches for the Maidstone-based outfit, who include Richards' compatriots Richie Richardson, Jimmy Adams, Stuart Williams and Junior Murray.

Lashings chairman David Folb described the signing of Richards as "quite an honour". He told the BBC that "it gives you a tingle in your stomach", also revealing that he is hopeful of signing Brian Lara for the game. Lara played for Lashings earlier in the season before going to Zimbabwe with the West Indies, a tour he pulled out of due to a persistent hamstring problem.

The West Indian contingent are not the only international stars set to play; Folb has also lined up Pakistanis Wasim Akram and Inzamam-ul-Haq and South African pair Allan Donald and Herschelle Gibbs. Sir Viv may be the star of the side, but he may find himself eclipsed by any one of a number of great cricket players who will come together for the floodlit game.