Daniel Bell-Drummond top-scored with 60 as Kent Spitfires began their Vitality Blast campaign with an exciting four-run win over reigning champions Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.

The visitors posted an impressive 208 for three after losing the toss, Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye (42) sharing an opening stand of 98 before Zak Crawley (37) and Joe Denly (48 not out) accelerated the scoring in the second half of the innings.

In reply, the Gloucestershire managed 204 for seven, Ollie Price blasting a rapid 51, while Miles Hammond and Ben Charlesworth both made 38. Tom Rogers took two for 22 from four overs.

A light coloured pitch promised big totals and it proved a tough baptism for Gloucestershire’s 20-year-old Aman Rao, signed from the South Asian Cricket Academy. The 6ft 6ins seamer’s two overs at the start of the Kent innings went for 21, but were not without promise.

Bell-Drummond pulled an early six off Matt Taylor as he and Muyeye took the score to 94 off ten overs. They were parted when Gloucestershire skipper Jack Taylor bowled Bell-Drummond with a leg-spinner after the opener had hit 6 fours and 2 sixes.

Tom Smith’s left arm spin accounted for Muyeye, caught at deep cover having faced 33 balls, and at 109 for two in the 13th over, Kent needed to rebuild. Crawley and Denly did so effectively, the former taking 26 off five balls sent down by Charlesworth in the 16th over, including 4 sixes.

When Crawley fell to Smith, having faced just 17 deliveries, Denly went on the attack, launching 4 sixes and 3 fours in his 24-ball blitz to take the Spitfires beyond 200.

Gloucestershire’s reply had reached 34 in the fifth over when Cameron Bancroft drove a catch to mid-on off Fred Klaassen. It was 37 for two when James Bracey top-edged a delivery from Rogers and skyed to wicketkeeper Billings.

Hammond hit three defiant sixes in an innings of 38 off 25 balls, but when he holed out to mid-on off Nathan Gilchrist in the ninth over Gloucestershire were 61 for three and well behind the required run-rate.

Price did his best to rectify matters, launching 4 sixes in an over from leg spinner Matt Parkinson.

Jack Taylor brought the hundred up by smashing Grant Stewart over wide long-on and followed up with another maximum in the same over, narrowly avoiding falling to a boundary catch. He and Price had added 56 in just 3.5 overs when Denly broke the stand, Taylor pulling a catch to deep mid-wicket.

Price went to a 25-ball half-century with a six off Gilchrist, but drove a catch to mid-off from the next delivery to leave his side 127 for five in the 14th over, still requiring 82.

Charlesworth and overseas recruit D’Arcy Short both hit sixes off Denly, but Short skied a catch off fellow Aussie Rogers to make it 160 for six and when the gallant Charlesworth was run out off the fourth ball of the final over Gloucestershire’s race was run.

Kent seamer Tom Rogers said: “It was a bit closer than we would have liked in the end. But everyone kept their composure in the field to clinch the win.

“It was a true pitch and we knew someone in a batting line-up that has a player of the calibre of D’Arcy Short at number seven would take advantage.

“At the halfway stage of their innings, we felt pretty comfortable. Someone had to do something very special for them from then on and in fairness they almost pulled it off.

“It’s a great start for us. Now we go to Lord’s for our next game and I haven’t even been there, let alone played there, so I can’t wait.” 

Gloucestershire skipper Jack Taylor said: “What a first game! It’s always disappointing to be on the losing side, but I think we were a little bit short in all facets of our game tonight.

“It wasn’t a 208 pitch. Maybe more like 180 and if we had kept them down to that we would have won.

“Ollie Price played a fantastic innings to give us hope, but it wasn’t to be. We won’t dwell on the defeat, but we know we have to be sharper in all parts of our game.

“D’Arcy Short’s arrival was a bit delayed because of visa issues, which is why he batted at seven. He is a quality player, who we have signed to get us runs and is a quality operator with the ball as well.”