LASHINGS chairman David Folb remains confident that banned Aussie spinner Shane Warne will become his Maidstone-based club’s cricket ambassador.

Folb is fighting claims by Cricket Australia, formerly the Australian Cricket Board, over allegations that Lashings were not the ‘appropriate’ vehicle for Warne’s talents this summer.

Earlier this week Folb's legal advisors took up the issue with Australian cricket chiefs, who initially appeared reluctant to allow their banned leg-spinner to play for the star-studded county town club.

“I’ve since received a letter from Michael Brown, the general manager of cricket operations for Cricket Australia, and the underlying tone is very positive,” said Folb.

“In his letter Mr Brown said that, from a distance, the work we are doing here at Lashings appeared all in a good cause. He also confirmed he had met with Shane’s agent, his brother Jason, but that they had yet to commit to any firm agreement with their player.

“We’ve already signed a contract with Mark Waugh, and they don’t come much bigger than him, so I’ve every confidence that Shane will follow.”

Folb hopes to finalise a deal with Warne by the end of April, by which time he may well also have captured the services of recently retired Zimbabwean all-rounder Henry Olonga.

He said: “I’ve been in contact with Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and Weald MP), who is following the case, and the Foreign Office, who seemed really encouraging about granting Henry a work permit to play for Lashings."

Folb added: “When the bureaucrats appear to be on our side then I too get really buoyed up, so with luck Henry will be here this summer.”