Glamorgan completed a comprehensive victory over Kent to keep pressure on the qualification spots in the South Group of the Vitality Blast.

On a home return to Sophia Gardens in their T20 campaign, Glamorgan had over eight overs to spare as they chased 119 in an explosive second innings after a dominant bowling display.

Andy Gorvin returned career best figures of 4 for 17 along with Ned Leonard taking nine wickets in his last two matches. Only Jack Leaning put up some resistance with 45 from 40 balls to recover Kent from 27 for 3 after six overs.

Kiran Carlson top-scored for Glamorgan with a quickfire 34 balls as a series of cameos secured a comfortable six-wicket victory.

Glamorgan gave the Spitfires first use of the green-topped surface and instantly reaped the rewards of doing so in economical fashion initially before Imad Wasim began a forthcoming cluster of wickets in the third over.

With Daniel Bell-Drummond dismissed early, Kent’s top scorer in the Vitality Blast – Tawanda Muyeye – falling in the next over didn’t help the visitors’ start at 9 for 2, mistiming a drive to give Leonard a first ball wicket, caught at deep-third.

The struggles in timing and finding the pace of the pitch continued to prove to be the issue throughout the Kent innings, finding themselves three down in the powerplay with Harry Finch unable to continue his form from a half-century last time out, missing an attempted ramp.

With no intention of dying wandering, the Kent Spitfires continued to up their sluggish run-rate on a varying paced wicket. Two internationals in the form of Joe Denly and captain Sam Billings attempted to reform the innings until Gorvin dismissed the pair in the same over.

From 37 for 3 to 43 for 5 after nine overs, Gorvin was exceptionally difficult to get away with a variety of pace at medium pace. Billings bowled first slog-sweeping before Denly played around a nip-backer just balls later.

Leaning’s blows towards the back end, particularly off Dan Douthwaite for his best knock of the campaign helped Kent to a respectable total when at risk of falling for an unwanted record. The 31-year-old found two sixes in the final over from Jamie McIlroy, after the Glamorgan bowler had dropped him earlier in the innings on 13 in a caught and bowled chance. Leaning ensured he farmed the strike from his number 11 partner Matt Parkinson after the lower-order continued to come and go, unable to support Leaning.

Glamorgan came out firing as Carlson so often does, leading from the front along with Will Smale. Twelve from the first over quickly had the hosts realising that this chase could be a matter of net run rate importance rather than the risk of a win-lose situation.

Smale’s ramp for six off overseas Tom Rodgers first ball helped Glamorgan to taking 46 from his three overs with a flurry of shots along the way.

With Glamorgan having no issue with finding their timing on a pitch Kent found to have demons, the relentless striking continued. A few mistimed shots found fortunate results for the arm-chancing batters. Not all fell safe with Smale first to go, bringing inexperienced Horton to free himself for a quick 20 which included four fearless consecutive boundaries off Rodgers.

Carlson’s 34 in no time similarly to Smale ended trying one shot too many after a six ending 30 rows back over mid-wicket off Fred Klaassen with the game all-but-done following a 70 for 1 powerplay.

Horton’s cameo ended pulling Nathan Gilchrist to deep-square which brought Ben Kellaway and Colin Ingram to take the hosts closer, Ingram punishing Matt Parkinson for two sixes in the same over before being dismissed with two to win, the batters enjoying their short stays.

Asa Tribe came in to find the winning runs after his return from Netherlands where he played for Jersey just 24 hours prior. The potentially important figure in the successful chase being the 11.4 overs it took to complete the task.

Kent Captain Sam Billings said after the game: “The last two results have been really frustrating with them being two important games but you just have to draw a line under it. Really bad day at the office.

“We speak about trying to impose ourselves on the opposition, I think we were a little timid and lacked that intent from the start and then trying to force the issue, you have to keep attacking and Jack [Leaning] was the only one who showed a bit of fight with the bat.

“Everything went wrong that could’ve and it’s a brutal format this game because it makes you just keep on coming. We have been inconsistent and we’ve not played anywhere close to the perfect game.”

Glamorgan bowler Andy Gorvin said: “The conditions were in my favour today and you’ve got to make the most of that. The ball was nipping around, actually more so the slower I bowled so it’s great.

“In our talk before the game we spoke about our good win on Friday night but we needed to back it up and we did with bat and ball, brilliant.

“The way the guys bowled in the powerplay makes my job, and other middle overs bowlers’ job a lot easier. It’s great to see Ned [Leonard] come in, young guy, bowling quick and with Immy [Imad Wasim]’s experience, Dan [Douthwaite] and Maccers [Jamie McIlroy] bowling really well.”

Picture supplied by Huw Evans Picture Agency.