Gloucestershire beat Kent in NatWest T20 Blast

Match scores (Canterbury)

Gloucestershire inns: 138-9 (20/20 overs. Cockbain 40, Howell 26)

Kent inns: 130 all out (20/20 overs. Bell-Drummond 25; Smith 3-28, Perera 3-31) 

Match report

Gloucestershire moved level on points with NatWest T20 Blast South Group leaders Hampshire after beating Kent by eight runs in a low-scoring thriller at Canterbury.

Michael Klinger’s unbeaten side fielded tigerishly and caught superbly to defend a modest total of 138 for nine on a spin-friendly pitch and complete a double over the Spitfires - as well as recording their third successive short-form win on Kent soil.

Set to chase at almost seven an over for victory, Kent’s in-form opener Daniel Bell-Drummond played out a David Payne maiden before hitting 12 runs off the second over from Matt Taylor, including a leg-side six by Joe Denly and Bell-Drummond’s crisp off-drive for four.

Experienced Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera conceded successive boundaries from his first four deliveries of the night as Bell-Drummond raced to 25, before the right-armer struck back by pinning the Kent opener leg before wicket with a quicker, low full-toss as Kent ended their powerplay on 45 for one.

Fresh from a career-best 116 not out at The Oval on Friday, Denly was, on this occasion, guilty of tossing away his wicket by driving a Tom Smith delivery straight into the hands of long-off to end his innings on 18 and spark a dramatic Kent collapse.

Sam Billings opened his shoulders with a back-foot force off Chris Liddle and a pulled six off the same bowler but his skipper Sam Northeast (10) miscued to extra cover off the wily Benny Howell to leave his side on 68 for three after 10 overs.

Jimmy Neesham (one) needlessly slog swept high to mid-wicket to gift the slow left-arm spinner a second wicket then, to Smith’s next delivery, Billings (15) was snaffled low down by Klinger at short extra – a catch confirmed on review by third umpire Michael Gough.

Alex Blake plundered the biggest six of the night over midwicket to raise Kent’s 100 as Smith completed his spell with figures of three wickets for 28 runs.

Needing 38 off the last 30 balls, Spitfires lost Darren Stevens (15) caught and bowled to a slower ball as Howell finished with an excellent two for 12.

In the dash for late runs Matt Coles was superbly caught on the run at deep midwicket for one by Jack Taylor, who then held another steepling catch at long-off that accounted for Alex Blake (19). James Tredwell (seven) was skittled in the final over as Kent slipped to a second loss in four games.

Earlier, Neesham struck with his third delivery by having Phil Mustard spectacularly caught off a sliced drive at cover point. On the run and diving forward, Bell-Drummond came up with the ball to make it 18 for one.

Klinger cracked Mitch Claydon's first ball of the night to Stevens, who held an overhead catch at mid-off to send Gloucestershire’s dangerman packing for 25 as the visitors reached 42 for two at the end of their powerplay.

Kent turned to spin at both ends in England off-spinner Tredwell and slow left-armer Imran Qayyum - and both bowled well on a dry pitch, turning the occasional delivery and restricting the boundary count.

Qayyum span one past the outside edge as George Hankins (14) ran down the pitch looking to drive, only to be stumped by Billings.

Tredwell finished his four with creditable figures of nought for 25 then, in his last over, Qayyum deceived Ian Cockbain (40) in the flight to have Gloucestershire's top-scorer caught at extra cover and finish with two for 19.

The visitors raised their hundred in the 16th over as Coles wrapped up with nought for 31, but Jack Taylor upped the tempo by taking six and four off successive Neesham deliveries before chipping a Claydon slower ball to mid-off to go for 21.

Perera (one) clubbed to long-on to give Neesham two for 30 then, in the final over, Smith (one), Matt Taylor (no score) and Howell 26) were all run out risking second runs into the deep.