Chris Gayle’s remarkable century on his home debut for Somerset was all in vain as Kent won by three runs in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group at Taunton on Sunday.

The 35-year-old West Indian struck 10 fours and 15 sixes in an unbeaten 151 off 62 balls. However, despite an innings that should have been good enough to win any game, Gayle finished on the losing side.

Batting first, Kent lost Joe Denly in the second over, run out by Max Waller with the score on 10-1. After that, Sam Northeast and Daniel Bell-Drummond put on a wonderful exhibition of batting.

Bell-Drummond reached his 50 in the 10th over but was snapped up by Lewis Gregory, off Max Waller, off the very next ball.

Northeast continued to make hay as Somerset bowled too short and wide. He struck 14 fours and two sixes before passing three figures in the 18th over. Having led the home attack a merry-dance for the best part of 17 overs, he was one of four batsmen out in the final over as Kent finished on 227-7.

Gayle saw opener Marcus Trescothick hole out off Matt Coles before watching Peter Trego play on, two balls later. At 22-2, Somerset appeared to be staring down the barrel of an inevitable defeat.

Gayle, however, had slightly different ideas and when he struck three giant sixes in eight balls, the hosts were on their way.

The left hander struck five fours and four sixes in reaching 50 off 29 balls and continued to make light of a Kent attack that simply had no answer. He put three balls into the River Tone and as many into the St James’ churchyard.

James Hildreth departed in the 13th over, for 29, with Somerset still needing 93 to win and Jim Allenby followed off the second ball of the 16th over with 63 still required. However, Gayle went through three figures off just 45 balls and kept Somerset in with a chance until the penultimate ball. It was the sixth highest individual score in the history of 20/20 cricket.

Somerset needed 41 runs from the last two overs and Gayle hit three sixes off Coles to reduce that equation to 17 from six balls.

However, Claydon kept his nerve to finish with 2-23, despite Gayle hitting the final ball of the match for six.