KENT’S cricketers will be launching a two-pronged assault on the county championship and the pop charts this spring after the club’s decision to release a single.

County captain Rob Key and former England players Martin Saggers and Min Patel could be going head-to-head with the likes of the Pussycat Dolls, Westlife and Madonna when they go into the recording studio on April 5.

Kent County Cricket Club’s commercial director Jon Fordham sanctioned the march on pop stardom after an approach from singer-songwriter Ryan Edwards.

In hoping the cd will give Kent the X-Factor this summer, Mr Fordham said: "Although Ryan is originally from New Zealand he has written a song called This Is Our Time, which has lyrics very much related to Kent.

"He approached me with the idea of turning it into a single last year and, after listening to the song and testing it out on my family, we think it has potential to be a commercial success.

"It’s not a rip-roarer along the lines of football anthems like "Back Home", in fact it is quite mellow and I think it compares favourably with the likes of a James Taylor style ballad."

Only time will tell if the song meets with the approval of Sir Elton John, the pop legend makes his Canterbury debut at Kent’s St Lawrence headquarters of Saturday, June 3 when Kent’s cricketers are likely to remain in the audience rather than starring on the stage.