LASHINGS’ ambitions to perform on a bigger stage will finally be realised in September, when they take part in a Twenty20 tournament at Grace Road.

Leicestershire will host a six-team event, with Twenty20 champions Somerset, South African champions Nashua Titans, a Friendship XI of Indian and Pakistani players, a PCA masters side and Lashings.

Team owner David Folb says his side are, as ever, in it to win it. So much so that they will have a selection game against Wales in order to finalise their first-choice eleven.

"The reason we haven’t been looking to play Kent this year is because they wouldn’t be strong enough to play us," Folb said, apparently without his tongue in his cheek.

"It’s not a wind up, it’s a fact. They’re pathetic at Twenty20.

"We’ll play Wales in a warm-up game and it’s up to the players to force their way into the side."

The usual suspects, Chris Harris, Herschelle Gibbs etc, etc, will appear in a team captained by Richie Richardson, but other places are still up for grabs.

The financial rewards – the winner will rake in £25,000 – and television deals mean Lashings will be taking the tournament very seriously.

South African channel Supersport and India’s Zee TV will be showing matches and the organisers are hoping to attract a British broadcaster soon.

Meanwhile, Folb has announced that Lashings will be moving its offices back to Maidstone a year after they upped sticks and moved to Essex.

The move follows the announcement that chief executive Andrew Fitch-Holland will step down at the end of the season.

"It’s incredibly amicable. He’s a very close friend of mine." Folb said of Fitch-Holland. "I’m back fully in the driving seat, although I suppose I always was really."