Kent suffered their first defeat of their NatWest T20 Blast campaign as they fell to a 22-run loss at the hands of South Group leaders Hampshire.
Having picked up impressive wins against Somerset and Gloucestershire in their first two short-format matches this season, the Spitfires were unable to make it three from three, despite a superb unbeaten 89 from captain Rob Key.
England international Michael Carberry made 73 to help the home side to a decent total of 171-7 in their 20-over allocation, as Doug Bollinger again impressed with the ball, taking 3-19.
Kent struggled to ever really get going in reply, despite skipper Key carrying his bat through the innings in his 63-ball knock; the Spitfires eventually closing on 149-4 as slow left-armer Danny Briggs took 3-28.
Hampshire had won the toss at the Ageas Bowl and elected to bat, with conditions seemingly perfect for T20 cricket on a warm Southampton evening.
The hosts saw their in-form captain James Vince, who already had three fifties in their four T20 games this season before tonight, fall for only five, as Adam Ball took an excellent low catch of Doug Bollinger in the second over.
Carberry and Jimmy Adams then put on a highly profitable partnership of 66 in 7.4 overs, with Adams by far the more aggressive of the pair, as former Kent batsman Carberry took some time to settle at the crease.
Adams had made a highly entertaining 47 from just 26 balls when he was trapped lbw by an excellent Adam Riley delivery, coming from around the wicket, pitching in line and straightening, to trap him in front.
James Tredwell, recalled to the team after returning from international duty with England, dismissed Hampshire’s dangerous Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell for seven. Maxwell was caught at deep midwicket by Darren Stevens, attempting to replicate the previous delivery which he had dispatched over the boundary for six.
Owais Shah made 11 before Adam Ball again took an excellent catch in the outfield, while Sean Ervine scored just one before he was removed by Claydon.
Carberry looked particularly strong cutting behind point during his 58-ball knock, and scored eight fours and two sixes before eventually being dismissed three overs before the end of his side’s innings, bowled by a superb Bollinger delivery which crashed into his middle stump.
Kent would pick up one more wicket; Darren Stevens executing a superb run out to remove Adam Wheater without scoring, before the home side finished their 20 overs on 171-7, a decent total that Kent would have had to produce a top-class batting display to overcome.
As it was, save for their captain’s efforts, Kent always struggled to keep up with the required run rate throughout, as Hampshire were economical with the ball and tigerish in the field.
Key and Daniel Bell-Drummond added 31 for the first wicket, before Bell-Drummond (12) hit Briggs’ first ball straight to home captain James Vince at mid-on.
Sam Northeast joined his skipper at the middle, and the pair added 89 – the biggest partnership of the match. Northeast struggled a little at first, moving around ones and twos rather than finding the boundary with regularity, although he did end up making 35 from 27 balls, including a mammoth six over midwicket off Briggs that will live long in the memory.
With five overs of their innings left to bowl, Kent had got themselves into a decent enough position, requiring 53 from the last 30 balls, but two quick wickets ended any hopes they may have had of pulling off an unlikely victory.
Northeast eventually fell to the off-spin of Will Smith, clipping him to Shah at backward point, before Darren Stevens, in at four, lasted just two balls before being bowled to become Briggs’ second victim.
Sam Billings made two before being give out lbw to Briggs, on something of a questionable decision, but by the time Alex Blake joined his captain at the crease, it was too little too late for the Spitfires, who were unable to chalk up the runs required, and saw themselves 22 short of their opponents come the end of the game.
Key’s excellent knock – his eleventh T20 fifty – featured six fours and three sixes, but was not enough to secure the win for his side.
The Spitfires have the opportunity to bounce back from the defeat immediately, however, as they welcome the Middlesex Panthers to Canterbury tomorrow night; the visitors having lost all five of their NatWest T20 Blast matches so far this season.
Hampshire vs. Kent Spitfires, NatWest T20 Blast, South Division, Ageas Bowl, Southampton, 05 June 2014
Hampshire 171-7 (Carberry 73, Adams 47, Bollinger 3-19) beat Kent Spitfires 149-4 (Key 89 not out, Northeast 35, Briggs 3-28) by 22 runs
Hampshire: Carberry, Vince*, Adams, Maxwell, Shah, Ervine, Wheater†, Smith, Wood, Abbott, Briggs
Kent Spitfires: Bell-Drummond, Key*, Northeast, Stevens, Billings†, Blake, Ball, Tredwell, Claydon, Riley, Bollinger
Hampshire won the toss and elected to bat
Full scorecard available here