Joey Evison starred with bat and ball as Kent Spitfires ended their long wait for a List A final victory at Trent Bridge after defeating Lancashire by 21 runs on Saturday.

Evison hit 97 and then took 2-34 with the ball as Lancashire failed to chase down Kent’s total of 306-6 in 50 overs, Joe Denly scoring 78 with the bat.

Spitfires’ fielding was also a big difference between the teams, Lancashire dropping a number of simple chances while Kent held onto most things that came their way.

It was Kent’s first List A final win in the last nine attempts - a run that stretched back to 1978.

Kent won the toss and batted but having let the first three balls of the opening over by Tom Bailey pass outside his off stump, the fourth proved too tempting for Ben Compton who tamely found gully to depart without score.

That led Ollie Robinson and Evison to establish a platform for the Spitfires, the latter taking on the Compton role as he occupied the crease while the former was, as is his natural game, the aggressor.

Robinson took a particular liking to Will Williams, who despite changing ends still bore the brunt of the 23-year-old’s big hitting. Robinson looked good going over the top or pulling through mid-wicket but, just as Kent were getting into their stride, was removed in the 17th over to leave them 79-2.

Liam Hurt got one to jag back and wicket-keeper George Lavelle took a fine one-handed catch down the leg side off the inside edge as Robinson departed for a 48-ball 43.

Evison, who joined Kent from Nottinghamshire, was back on familiar territory at Trent Bridge, and he overturned an lbw call at the end of the 21st over. On 48, he was right to review after Hurt got another one to jag back, but DRS deemed the ball was going over the top of leg stump.

Evison reached his half-century from 72 balls, including nine fours, bringing up the Kent hundred at the same time in the 23rd over.

Denly batted aggressively, also putting Williams to the sword while tucking into the spin of Luke Wells with some excellent leg side shots.

The impressive Hurt strangely switched ends but Evison drove beautifully through the covers for four and flicked his second ball over mid-wicket for another boundary. Denly took a couple of steps to drive through the covers and Hurt conceded 15 in the over, having taken 1-19 from his first five at the Pavilion End.

Kent, with just under 20 overs remaining, looked to advance their score knowing the likes of Alex Blake and Darren Stevens were still waiting their turn. Evison put the spin of Steven Croft into the short cover boundary for six as the hundred partnership came up in 97 balls.

Denly’s fifty came in as many balls with six fours and a straight six off Wells brought up the Kent 200 in the 36th over.

Evison looked on course for a deserved hundred. But one ball after surviving a review for a catch down the leg side, which came off his body, Evison was bowled by Danny Lamb for 97. His 111-ball knock contained 14 fours and one six, leaving Spitfires 212-3 in the 37th over.

Denly made 78 from 69 balls, with eight fours and a six, before Hurt got another one to jag back and bowl him having returned to the end where he proved so difficult to get away earlier in the innings.

That dismissal was followed by the day’s biggest cheer as 46-year-old Stevens strode out to bat, with Kent 245-4 in 41 overs. Flicking a single into the leg side off the third ball he faced produced another loud cheer and chants of ‘Stevo’ continued even when Blake was on strike.

Stevens flicked one boundary fine off his legs in the next over but there was little focus on Blake at the other end, Kent’s white-ball specialist batsman. Caught off a no-ball for height, Blake was then dropped on the boundary in the same Hurt over by Luke Wells.

Wells dropped Stevens on 12 in the next over at long-on, but Blake went for one big hit too many and was excellently caught at mid-wicket for a 32-ball 38 when Rob Jones threw the ball back in before going over the rope for Keaton Jennings to complete the dismissal.

Stevens then ran out Grant Stewart for just one, Spitfires were losing their way and two wickets for just three runs. From 236-3 after 40 overs, Kent were only able to advance their score by 70 runs.

There was still time for Jennings to drop a simple chance to remove Stevens in the final over, the veteran all-rounder ending up 33 not out from 31 balls.

Lancashire’s reply got off to a flying start, Stewart and Nathan Gilchrist bowled both sides of the wicket and Jennings and Wells (16) took full advantage to reach 40-0 in the fifth over before the latter gave a sharp return catch which Stewart snapped up.

Josh Bohannon took 21 balls to compile five, clipping Harry Podmore straight down Stewart's throat at fine leg to leave Lancashire 71-2 after 12 overs.

Podmore and Stevens were tightening their grip on Lancashire’s run-rate, sharp caught and bowled half-chances to either bowler from Jennings and Croft unable to be taken.

The boundaries started to flow again and Lancashire reached their hundred in the 18th over. Just as Kent looked to be losing their way, Jennings softly drove the spin of Hamid Qadri to Blake in the covers. He departed for 71 in 63 balls and Lancashire were 126-3 in the 22nd over.

His dismissal came just after an unusual incident in the field when Kent wicketkeeper Robinson went to field the ball, throwing in to Finch at the stumps. However, Finch had picked up Robinson’s glove to catch the ball with and Lancashire were awarded five penalty runs.

Kent turned to Evison and his day got even better with the ball, enticing Dane Vilas to drag on for 11. But Croft, after a slow start, at the other end progressed to his half-century from 71 balls and then put the foot down on the accelerator, effectively hitting Evison and Denly out of the attack. Stevens was also forced off the field, struggling with a groin injury sustained when he was batting.

Blake then produced a breath-taking catch at mid-wicket to give Gilchrist his first wicket, removing dangerman Croft for 72. At that stage, Lancashire needed 96 more to win from 68 balls.

Gilchrist took his second wicket when George Lavelle heaved him high into the leg side and Evison - who else - took an excellent diving catch.

The momentum swung back to Lancashire as Gilchrist’s bouncer was gloved for four and Danny Lamb sliced the next ball high over the wicket-keeper for six.

More spectacular fielding, this time from Gilchrist to catch high above his head on the run at deep square leg, saw Lamb depart for 20 and Lancashire were 248-7 in the 44th over, still needing 59. Stewart then trapped Jones in front for 29 and, with just two wickets left, Spitfires were well in charge.

Evison thought he’d produced the catch of the day, a one-handed diving effort running back at mid-off, but he couldn’t prevent the ball touching the turf as he landed and Hurt was given a reprieve.

But Gilchrist (3-65) yorked Bailey for 16 and the Spitfires were able to celebrate when Evison bowled Hunt for 12.

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Prior to the start of play, there was a minute’s silence in memory of the Queen which was followed by the national anthem.