Kent's experimental one-day side defied the odds and their third floodlight failure in a year to land an eight-run win under the Duckworth-Lewis method over Surrey in a NatWest Pro40 League second division clash shortened by bad light.

In pursuit of Kent's 27-over total of 167 for six, Surrey stumbled to 110 for five after 19.4 overs when, with the floodlights out of order, the game was abandoned to give the unbeaten hosts their fourth win in five starts.

Veteran umpires George Sharp and Peter Willey were told an hour before the scheduled start that the mobile light pylons, on hire from the ECB, might not be fully extended in high winds because of health and safety issues.

The officials contacted the ECBs cricket department at Lord's who agreed, under the playing regulations, to shorten the game to 27 overs per side.

Kent suffered a similar situation at Hove in July when they lost at Twenty20 tie on the Duckworth-Lewis method following floodlight failure.

Spitfires were also hampered last August when their Pro40 game against Leicestershire was abandoned as a no result, six overs into the second innings when strong winds also swept the St Lawrence ground.

Fielding second after losing the toss, Kent this time saw the lights retracted after eight overs with Surrey well behind the asking rate, yet acting home skipper James Tredwell held his nerve, bowling himself in the fading light to pull off victory.

The Brown Caps lost their first wicket after five overs when skipper Stewart Walters (18) miscued to mid-on off the bowling of Azhar Mahmood then, six runs on Michael Brown (11) tossed away his wicket by holing out to deep square leg off the fifth ball of the night from Matt Coles.

A leaden-footed drive from Usman Afzaal (9) flew off the outside edge to keeper Geraint Jones and in the 13th over Matt Spriegel (11) missed a slog sweep against Tredwell pegged back off stump.

With the light fading fast Jonathan Batty (8) missed an attempted reverse sweep that clipped the top of off stump to ensure Kent's win and give Tredwell figures of two for 28.

Batting first after losing the toss, Spitfires cantered along at 6.18 an over mainly due to their makeshift opener, 19-year-old right-hander Sam Northeast, who took the man-of-the-match honours for his 69 from 67 balls with nine fours.

The hosts, who rested skipper Rob Key and the majority of their first-choice seam attack, were also without opening bat Joe Denly on duty with England for their ODI in Ireland.

Northeast was finally dislodged in the penultimate over of Kent's allowance when aiming an audacious clip over fine leg but his contribution, together with 20s from Alex Blake, Darren Stevens and James Goodman, set Surrey a target that proved well beyond them.