KENT officials will keep a watching brief on events in South Africa this week where the county’s influential all-rounder Andrew Hall is reported to have quit international cricket.

Media speculation is already linking the 32-year-old player with a lucrative move to the Indian Cricket League venture which has already attracted the likes of ex-Kent wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien.

Having played 21 Tests and 88 ODI’s, Hall was known to be hugely disappointed at his omission from the Proteas’ Twenty20 World Championship squad and his subsequent inclusion on a troubled South A tour of Zimbabwe.

His move to retire from the international game was this week described by Tony Irish, the chief executive of the South African Cricketers’ Association chief executive, the players’ union, as a "complete surprise.”

If Hall plans to link up with ICL or contact his former county employers with a view to signing Kolpak forms, he may yet find the move blocked by the South African Board, who have him centrally contracted until the end of April 2008.

Hall made only seven championship starts for Kent this summer before being hauled away prematurely on international duty for the third season running.

Having first played county cricket for Worcestershire, he linked up with Kent in 2005 playing 15 matches in his first two campaigns with the club, averaging 45 with the bat while taking 54 wickets costing 25 apiece.

His 2007 contributions, affected by injury and ODI duty in Ireland, proved less eye-catching as Hall averaged 29 with the bat and 15 wickets with the ball at a cost of 40 each.