Kent Spitfires recorded a stunning five-wicket win at Hampshire in NatWest T20 Blast South Group after a thrilling run-chase on Friday night.

An incredible unbroken partnership of 108 between skipper Sam Northeast and Alex Blake in nine thrilling overs ensured Kent made it two wins from two in the group phase, with the visitors having looked in trouble at 70/5 at the midway point chasing Hampshire’s total of 172/6.

Blake smashed a career-best 71 not out from just 30 balls, hauling his side over the line with four balls to spare with his sixth mighty six, with another three boundaries by way of fours.

Northeast – filling in for absent skipper Rob Key - contributed an unbeaten 60 from 49 balls, cracking seven fours.

Blake said: "It’s nice to score a career best and even nicer to do it on TV.

“Hampshire are a good side and would have been favourites to see the game out but we heard it was a pretty good wicket so we were always in with a chance.

“Sam was at the other end doing a great job and I managed to get some away to see us there.

“At the start I want to see myself in and get Sam on strike but we finally got in a position where I could go and it came off.

“We seem to be on a bit of a roll now, so there is a bit on confidence in the camp. We look like a pretty strong outfit. We are confident of going a long way in this competition.”

The hosts won the toss and chose to bat first and that decision looked vindicated when they raced to 41-1 from the first four overs.

David Griffiths did have Michael Carberry caught by Joe Denly for 20, with Denly also holding onto one from James Vince, who smashed 66 from 43 balls before becoming Adam Riley’s second victim after he bowled Jimmy Adams early-on.

Hampshire were 103-3 inside 12 overs as Kent battled to stem the tide, with Griffiths ousting former teammate Sean Ervine for two on his way to 2-36.

Darren Stevens had Owais Shah caught by Denly for 26 to make it 127-5 with 28 balls remaining and Mitch Claydon accounted for Adam Wheater in the penultimate over, though his 36 from 18 balls helped the hosts amass 172-6 at the close.

The reply began inauspiciously as Daniel Bell-Drummond (1) became the first of three victims to fall to Will Smith, though fellow opener Denly made a breezy 26 before being caught by Adams off Briggs to leave Kent 39-2 in the fifth over.

The departure in quick succession of Sam Billings (15 from 14), Stevens (3) and Fabian Cowdrey for nought two balls later left Kent up against it at 70/5 after 10 overs.

However it merely brought Northeast and Blake together for their superb stand, with a 33-run blast in the 15th and 16th over bringing them within striking difference and although they still needed 43 from 24 balls, they used just 20 of them, with Blake finishing the game with a four and six off Yasir Arafat to seal a memorable win.

Kent return to action in LV= County Championship Division 2 against Surrey at Beckenham on Sunday and are back in T20 action at Middlesex on Thursday night.