KENT Spitfires hope to become a lean, mean cricketing machine next summer by abandoning their powder blue National League strip in favour of a new black kit.

The county's latest 'Sunday-best' is being designed by Wateringbury-based sportswear firm Readers and should be available for advance orders early in the New Year.

The club are also lining up a new Twenty20 strip for 2004 and plan to re-launch the website next spring with new on-line ticketing sales, hospitality booking and membership renewal features.