KENT'S hopes of success at the Twenty20 Cup finals day may be dealt a severe blow in the next 48 hours if South African fast bowler Morne Morkel is prevented from playing at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Initially, Kent's director of cricket Graham Ford was certain the 22-year-old - who played in all eight of Spitfires' qualifiers - would be involved, but the South African Cricket Board may be about to scupper the county's plans for the fourth season running.

News surfaced over the weekend that Morkel, who has just completed an emerging players' tour of Australia, had not only picked up a heel injury on the trip, but that South Africa also now seem certain to select him in their 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Championships in September.

It effectively means that they are unlikely to release one of their prized young assets back to Kent for much longer, if at all.

Ford said: "It is a dilemma we're facing here, but we're working hard to sort it out as best we can."