Invitation cricket team Lashings are reported to have signed a new �500,000 sponsorship deal for the new 2002 season.

The amount dwarfs the figure received by most county cricket clubs and is double the amount that was paid to the England and Wales Cricket Board for name sponsorship of the County Championship last season.

Lashings have signed a one-year deal with St Kitts and Nevis-based bank Lugano Synergy Investment Group.

High profile

Lashings chairman David Folb told the Bloomberg news agency that the contract may be stretched to �2m over the next four years.

The Kent-based club has secured a high profile over the past few years with big name recruitments such as Brian Lara and Shoaib Akhtar.

It plays mainly friendly ties, in charity matches and against county second XIs, with Kent, Essex, Gloucestershire and Lancashire in this season's fixture list.

Although the club also enter a side in the Central Kent League, few of the star names turn out.

This season Lara is set to return and could be joined by his former West Indian Test colleague Curtly Ambrose, as well as Zimbabweans Grant Flower and Alistair Campbell.

Despite the lack of television exposure Godfrey Thomas, chairman of Lugano Synergy commented: "Lashings plays in the UK, the Caribbean and in South Africa so we feel our company will benefit from the association with the club."

The County Championship has yet to announce a sponsor for the 2002 competition, following last season's one-year deal with Cricinfo.

But a new name is expected to be announced before the beginning of the season.