WEST Indies’ fast bowling legend Curtly Ambrose could be enticed out of retirement by Maidstone-based village side Lashings this summer. Ambrose, whose 405 Test wickets leave him sixth in the all-time wicket-taking ranks, has enjoyed being away from the game since hanging up his bowling boots in 2000.

The Antiguan seamer has revealed his skills as a guitarist by forming a band, The New Dread and Baldhead, and will visit England later in the year to play gigs and cut their first album.

In the meantime, Lashings chairman David Folb and club captain Richie Richardson hope to convince Ambrose to pack his whites and play for Lashings during breaks in his recording stint in England.

“He has expressed an interest in playing for us,” said former West Indies skipper Richardson, who also plays guitar for The New Dread and Baldhead band.

“We're going to be in London making a record and I'm sure he will stay on and play a few games perhaps later in the summer.”

Ambrose, 38, played his 98th and last Test at The Oval and could now form a fearsome strike force with other Lashings stars Shoaib Akhtar or Wasim Akram.

Lashings, who in the last three seasons have included Viv Richards, Brian Lara and Jimmy Adams in their number, have already lined up matches against Kent, Essex, Gloucestershire and Lancashire in a high-profile fixture list for 2002.