KENT’S dismal limited overs campaign continued in Canterbury on Sunday where fellow Division 2 strugglers Somerset cantered to a deserved eight wicket victory in a rain-reduced totesport League game.

In a game cut to 16 overs a start after showers delayed the start of the game until 5pm Sabres cantered to victory with 20 balls to spare to seal their third win of the season and move above Kent in the process

After surviving a first over run out scare, Sabres’ South African skipper Graeme Smith led his side’s victory charge with a 40-ball half century with eight fours on his way to a match-winning 56 not out.

Matthew Wood and Ian Blackwell, with 14 and 12 respectively, kept the board ticking over from the other end before both fell to James Tredwell who, as the only successful bowler, was clearly Kent’s man-of-the-match.

Smith took 19 off two overs from the re-called Martin Saggers, then 10 from Justin Kemp’s first and last over after he replaced the struggling Saggers at the Pavilion End, leaving James Hildreth to seal the win with a straight six off Tredwell.

Just 24 hours after their perfectly paced championship run chase to win in Guildford, Spitfires reverted to one-day type in failing to score at a run-a-ball.

The innings started badly when new limited overs’ skipper Matthew Walker checked his drive against Andy Caddick’s third ball of the game to clip a simple catch to extra cover.

Thereafter only four players managed to get into double figures while only two managed to score at better than a run-a-ball.

Rob Key’s 17 from 19 balls ended when his mis-timed drive skied to mid-off, then Darren Stevens followed suit after scoring just nine from 21 balls.

Joe Denly, making his last appearance before England Under-19 duty, chipped and scampered 10 and left the big hitting to Justin Kemp and James Tredwell.

Kemp hit one six in his 17 from 16 balls but Tredwell out-gunned him, clearing the ropes twice to clatter 22 in nine balls yet it still appeared to be too little, too late.