McLaren commits to Kent

In-demand Ryan McLaren revealed he has agreed a new contract with Kent

Ryan McLaren is yet to hear directly from South Africa - and until he does, the Kent all-rounder will not be making any hasty decisions about his playing future.

As of last night, the plot thickening around McLaren's status as a Kolpak player had reached a hiatus.

Kent, whose LV County Championship Division One title aspirations have been badly hampered by almost two full days of rain against relegation-threatened Surrey at Canterbury, have made it clear McLaren has been playing for them since last year on the basis he will not play for his native South Africa and is "committed" to English cricket.

After forecast rain had permitted only 13 balls by the supposed mid-point in a pivotal championship match - Surrey stuck on nought without loss when put in yesterday morning - off-field issues dominated.

For Surrey, it was confirmation they were releasing their veteran former England one-day international batsman Ali Brown - after a 20-year association with the club.

For Kent, the McLaren impasse is beginning to occupy minds - thanks largely to South Africa coach Mickey Arthur's revelation that he contacted the pace-bowling all-rounder after his team's 4-0 NatWest Series demolition by England over the past two weeks.

McLaren, for his part, sought to set the record straight.

"I haven't personally been approached by Cricket South Africa," he said. "No-one has called me on the phone - that has all been hearsay and media speculation - but I know my agent has been contacted.

Mickey Arthur has confirmed his interest in calling McLaren up to the South Africa side

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"My stance at the moment is that I'm totally committed to Kent, and there's a chance of me signing a contract extension in the next few days.

"I can't decide on anything until such time they phone me up or sit around a table with me to make a decision from there.

"This supposed interest from South Africa has only come to light in the last week and a half," he added.

"But the new contract offer from Kent has been in the pipeline for some good time. It was first discussed weeks ago and is in place. It's agreed, and we intend on taking it further because I'm looking to settle my future with Kent.

"This has all happened because South Africa did not perform as well as they will have wanted in this last one-day series.

"And in realising this is a phase their international team are going through right now while younger, newer faces come through."

Kent's director of coaching, Graham Ford – himself a South African – expanded on McLaren's contractual situation.

"Ryan signed an affidavit when he went through the process of signing for us as a Kolpak, committing himself to English cricket and saying he wouldn't be playing for South Africa," he explained.

"He also has a two-year contract in place with Kent – meaning that if he were to be released to play for South Africa, I would imagine some dealings would have to take place at higher levels than mine.

"At this point, he's permanently contracted to us, and there has been no official approach to us about Ryan's availability."