KENT chief executive Paul Millman says there is little counties can do to prevent their overseas cricket stars from joining the rebel Indian Twenty20 League revolution.

The county’s close-season recruits, former South Africa all-rounder Justin Kemp and ex-Surrey and Pakistan star Azhar Mahmood, are both playing in the Indian Cricket League this month leaving Kent to hope they return without injury or fatigue.

Mahmood, who has signed a two-year deal with Kent, played in the inaugural ICL event for Hyderabad Heroes in October and has now joined Lahore Badshahs for his second stint.

The ICL’s eight-team Grand Championships start on Sunday where Mahmood will cross swords with Kemp, who has agreed terms with the Hyderabad Heroes franchise.

In explaining the quandary facing Kent and the other 17 county clubs, Mr Millman said: “I think there are 22 players from county clubs caught up in this and the difficulty we have is that these leagues are taking place when the likes of Azhar and Justin aren’t meant to be representing Kent.

“It’s very difficult for us to say no to guys who effectively want to play cricket in our off season and at a time when they are not under contract to us. Up to a point, it is out of our control.

“At this stage we are not in position to say yes or no. We are as soon as they come under contract with Kent which, in both cases, extends through the course of the next two English seasons.

“There will be no question of either of them playing in the ICL or the IPL over the 2008 and 2009 English seasons.”

Though both players will miss Kent’s pre-season training camp in Portugal, both are expected to report back to St Lawrence well before Kent’s opening championship clash against Nottinghamshire starting on Wednesday, April 16.

Kent’s third Kolpak signing, batsman Martin van Jaarsveld, also put his name forward to ICL and IPL franchise holders, but failed to attract any interest.