KENT have become the first county cricket club to launch an online interactive website offering supporters the latest news and interviews from the St Lawrence Ground.

Most Premiership football clubs already operate similar subscription sites for their fans, but Kent are breaking new ground in bringing interactivity into cricket following the launch of their Spitfires Online extranet service.

The four levels of paid-for services range from £3.99 to £9.99 a month, with a top-level president’s package that includes SMS text messaging for score alerts and conditions for play direct to your mobile phone, details of training sessions and match previews, as well as club-generated video clips and audio interviews.

Depending on the subscription package level, fans may also take part in supporters' forums and polls, have their own Kent-branded email address and a range of internet tools including a personalised calendar, photo album and website builder.

In welcoming the new site, Kent’s commercial and operations director Jon Fordham said: "This is the first site of its kind in cricket and to my mind is all about the club communicating better with its fans.

"Whatever their location, supporters now have a truly interactive online site to help them become more involved in Kent’s daily affairs as well as interacting with club officials and fellow fans.

"What with a dedicated fans’ forum, message board and supporters polls, the site will also help fans play a key role in helping to craft the club’s cricketing future."

The new Spitfires Online site, which is accessed via a link from the Kent website www.kentccc.com was designed by London-based Spider Networks, who spent the equivalent of 50 man years in writing the computer software.

As a further incentive to sign up, the club are offering the prize of a pair of £100 tickets to next summer’s Elton John concert at St Lawrence to one of the first 100 subscribers picked at random.