Kent paceman Mitch Claydon enjoys the challenge of bowling the final over but not even his skill at doing it could prevent his side from a six-wicket loss against Hampshire in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group clash in Canterbury on Friday.

Visiting captain James Vince (99 not out) hit the fifth ball of Claydon's over for four to see his side pass Kent's 183-5 with a ball to spare at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.

Hampshire started their 18th and final over of the rain reduced clash needing five to win, a few less than Claydon said he was hoping to play with.

He said: "I said to Colesy (Matt Coles) if he could leave me with 10 or 11 after he bowled the penultimate over, that would be perfect but five was always going to be a tough ask.

"It would have been a miracle to pull it off from there."

Claydon, who finished with 0-37 off 3.5 overs, said his plan of attack for the final over was a simple one.

He said: "I just had to bang the yorkers out (Hampshire scored four off the first four balls which also included a dot ball). That didn't change with what turned out to be the final ball when the scores were level.

"We brought everyone up (to prevent the single) and as I ran in, I've seen him (Vince) go wide so I tried to go a wide yorker but he got a little bit of bat on it and that was it."

But what did Claydon think of Kent's performance, which was a second consecutive loss in the competition and saw Spitfires drop to second behind Hampshire?

He said: "I thought we were right in the game when we got 183 because the batters thought 160 would be a good score.

"But conditions definitely changed when we bowled - it was tough out there with plenty of dew about. We didn't get the nip they did.

"Without making excuses, the ball was soaking wet and the field was very wet but we also had enough key moments. We would bowl five good balls in an over then the last ball went for six.

"They (Hampshire) also got it right with their left-hand, right-hand combination hitting to the short boundary every time.

"We played 95% good cricket and lost it for 5% - that's what cost us in the end."

Kent play Essex at the same venue on Thursday.