Sam Billings says Kent are ‘not far away’ from clicking in white-ball cricket, despite his spectacular unbeaten century on Sunday being in vain.

Billings smashed 106 not out from just 54 balls and shared a record stand of 170 with Joe Denly (104*) but the Spitfires were edged out by three wickets with seven balls of a rain-shortened game thanks largely to Colin Ingram’s unbeaten 95 from 53 balls which included six sixes.

Billings was philosophical and admitted: “You’ve seen enough one-day cricket now to know that you’re never out of it as chasing side, especially on a good wicket at a small ground like Canterbury.

“Of course half-way we were very happy with how we batted and the score we put on the board (293), but it just takes one bloke and a couple of other guys to bat around...”

It was a first Royal London One-Day Cup defeat at the second time of asking for Kent, while they have lost three of their five NatWest T20 Blast games, the latest at Sussex on Friday night.

Billings admitted: “It’s been frustrating, the last few performances in white ball cricket.

“It’s always been half-and-half, we haven’t put it all together. It's either the bowlers putting their hands up or the batters. we just haven't quite got it all together. You can say that as a positive - we’ve got plenty of room for improvement."

Billings was dropped on 27 by Michael Hogan and the England man admitted: “I needed a bit of luck. It can get you on a roll - it’s amazing.

“It was a bit of fun. Once you get into that flow... I can’t really explain it, you’re not really thinking, you’re just watching the ball and trying to hit it in the middle of the bat.”

Billings took just 17 balls to move from 50 to reach his century from the penultimate ball and he added: “It was pleasing but hopefully I can continue this form and put some scores on the board.

“I was happy with how I played. If I'm honest I got a bit of luck as I think they set some poor fields at times.

"I was on about 75 (when I first though about the century). Joe Denly and I were both going at that stage but luckily it panned out.”

He added: “Games are coming thick and fast but we’re not far away at all as a side - that’s the positive. The batters are in good form, we have just to to put it all together.”

Kent host Somerset in the ODC on Tuesday (11am) before a trip to Essex the following day.