A sell out crowd watched on at The Spitfire Ground as Kent beat Essex by 22 runs to make it three successive wins in the T20 Blast.

After electing to bat, Kent posted 175-6 having seen Heino Kuhn hit five fours in the last over to top score on an unbeaten 55.

He later pulled off a remarkable diving catch on the boundary as Essex were limited to 153-7 in reply.

Kent welcomed Kuhn back to the team after the South African missed the opening two T20 fixtures due to concussion protocol.

The 35-year-old had been struck on the neck by a Fidel Edwards delivery in his side's County Championship draw with Hampshire earlier this month.

Joe Denly was still absent having been on England duty against Ireland, while captain Sam Billings watched on from the stands as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery

• Kent captain Sam Billings' return from dislocated shoulder delayed

Kent started steadily courtesy of a opening-wicket partnership of 51 from Zak Crawley and skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond.

Crawley played with his typical grace to reach 32 off 18 deliveries following seven fours before he was bowled by Matthew Quinn.

Ollie Robinson was next in for the Spitfires, who were 59-1 at the end of the powerplay.

Bell-Drummond continued to rally with the bat as he and Robinson carried Kent to 94 until the latter was bowled by Ravi Bopara for 17.

The captain's innings finally came to an end on 43 when he skied a Shane Snater delivery, with Cameron Delport waiting underneath it to make a simple catch.

He is now just 47 runs away from becoming the fifth batsman to hit 2000 T20 runs for Kent.

Having lost Mohammad Nabi for a duck to an Adam Wheater stumping off Adam Zampa, Kuhn welcomed Alex Blake to the middle following his match-winning 57 off 38 balls against Hampshire on Sunday.

Any hopes of replicating those heroics were cut short as Blake picked out Snater in the deep to give the dangerous Simon Harmer his first wicket.

With Kent looking to up their run rate in the final three overs, teenager Jordan Cox went for the big shot against Quinn only to pick out Tom Westley and make way for 11.

Kuhn picked his shots wisely and produced some superb running between the wickets to supply an unbeaten 55, including five successive fours in the final over as Kent finished on 175-6.

Kent dismissed Essex danger man Delport for just nine early on courtesy of a stunning direct hit from Adam Milne after the visitors' opening pair had thought about running before attempting to retreat.

Westley was gone for just five shortly after having seen his off-stump taken out by the sheer pace of Hardus Viljoen.

Essex were eventually confined to 36-2 after six overs.

Having starred with the bat, Kuhn soon reclaimed the spotlight in the field as he treated fans to a stunning diving catch on the boundary to dismiss Varun Chopra for 19.

Viljoen struck again to claim the wicket of Dan Lawrence, who found the hands of Bell-Drummond for an easy catch to go for 14.

The experience of Ravi Bopara didn't appear to have an impact either, with the 34-year-old also hitting straight to Bell-Drummond.

Kent could have put themselves further in the driving seat moments later as Nabi dropped Ryan ten Doeschate on 30 for what should have been a straight-forward catch.

Wheater was then caught by Klaassen off Nabi for 20 as Kent edged closer to victory.

An unbeaten 58 from ten Doeschate eventually came to no avail, with the Eagles falling short on 153-7.

Kent are now due to travel The Kia Oval to face Surrey on Tuesday evening.

Kent: Bell-Drummond (captain), Crawley, Robinson (wk), Kuhn, Nabi, Blake, Cox, Milne, Viljoen, Qayyum, Klaassen.

Essex: Delport, Chopra, Westley, ten Doeschate, Lawrence, Bopara, Wheater (wk), Harmer (captain), Snater, Zampa, Quinn.

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