KENT went out of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy in Canterbury after a disappointing performance against Gloucestershire, the side they beat in last season’s quarter-final.

Despite the sunniest batting conditions of the summer to date, Kent’s top order were again found wanting as they failed to bat out their 50 overs in posting a miserable 194 all out.

Australian Greg Blewett revelled with the sun on his back and finally looked the Test player he is in scoring 50 in 52 balls, including the biggest six of the day over mid-wicket, and five fours.

But when he went to the next ball after reaching his milestone the writing was on the wall for yet another below par batting performance.

James Averis extracted additional bounce to account for Blewett on his way to three for 39 from the Pavilion End, but left-arm swing bowler Mike Smith was man-of-the-match as he combined with his brilliant, seemingly ageless keeper Jack Russell to claim four for 35.

Kent captain David Fulton suffered the indignity of a third ball duck on his season’s debut and although Rob Key (32), Matt Walker (22), Geraint Jones (34), Mark Ealham (15) and Ed Smith (14) all made sound starts, none took the responsibility of grinding out a match-winning innings.

With too few runs to defend Kent’s injury hit attack were always likely to struggle and although Martin Saggers bagged the early wicket of Phillip Weston, Gloucestershire stayed on top of the asking rate.

New Zealander Craig Spearman with 71 from 85 balls anchored the reply, leaving South African Jonty Rhodes to polish the job off with 26 balls to spare.

After taking two catches in his favoured cover point position, Rhodes, having been dropped on nine by Jones, steered his side into the last eight with an unbeaten 45 despite batting for the last half-hour with a runner after straining his hamstring.

Though Saggers was clearly the pick of the Kent attack with three for 45 and Walker took two excellent catches at backward point, their was precious little else to cheer about another lacklustre Kent performance.

Kent’s trophy exit, coupled with disappointing starts in both championship and one-day league, ensures the season is already marked down as a dogfight rather than a campaign to chase silverware.