Kent's Justin Kemp has won his registration appeal to the England and Wales Cricket Board and is now free to join the county for a third stint on a two-year Kolpak deal.

The 30-year-old South African all-rounder and a five man delegation from Kent, made up of solicitor for the Professional Cricketers' Association Ian Smith, Kent chairman George Kennedy, chief executive Paul Millman, director of cricket Graham Ford and acting chairman of cricket Paul Box-Grainger, all attended Wednesday's seven-hour appeal hearing at The Oval.

Having had his playing registration originally revoked for appearing in unauthorised international cricket in the Indian Cricket League, Kemp was clearly happy to win the day.

A delighted Kemp said: "I'm extremely relieved. There's so much relief because I've suffered for almost three months not knowing what's really going to happen.

"I've been low at times and I've felt desperate, not knowing what might happen, but now I'm delighted.

"When your right to play the game is almost taken away from you then you begin to know in yourself how much you really want to play. That may sound a bit of a cliche, but it's true in my case.

"I can tell you from this experience, having this hanging over me; well it was not a good place to be."

Kent chief executive Paul Millman said after the hearing: "It's been a long, tough day. We went in at 10am with three sets of solicitors representing their players, had half-an-hour break for lunch then finally came out at 4.40pm and have only just heard the verdict, and it's just gone 5pm.

"There was some testing cross examination and I had sweaty palms during the wait for the verdict, but clearly we're delighted and I'm just about to take Justin for a pint, after which he can just get on with playing his cricket, which is all he wants to do.

"He will be registered with immediate effect and will be available for us on Sunday for our Trophy game in Hove, but this was a much harder and longer process than I expected and I'm pleased it is over."

The appeal was heard by Nick Stewart QC. the PCA's Tim O'Gorman and chief executive of the Scotland Cricket Board Roddie Smith, who also agreed to the registrations of Andrew Hall and Johan van der Wath.