Joe Denly returned to haunt Kent Spitfires, cracking an unbeaten 90 to help new side Middlesex Panthers to a 48-run win at Canterbury in Friends Life t20 South on Tuesday night.

Denly (pictured) batted through all 20 overs and along with Paul Stirling - 63 off 37 balls - put on a blistering 127 for the opening wicket from just 71 deliveries.

Azhar Mahmood went for 30 off one over on his way to figures of 1-61 - his second over included four fours, a six, and six no-balls after Mahmood's delivery flew straight over Geraint Jones to the boundary.

After James Tredwell accounted for Stirling in the 12th over there was an 18-ball cameo from England’s Eoin Morgan, who made 36, including three sixes.

The Panthers eventually piled on 207-2 infront of the Sky TV cameras which was just 10 runs short of the highest total Kent have ever conceded in the competition.

Despite losing skipper Rob Key to a neck injury in the warm-up, Kent actually looked well placed to overhaul the total, reaching 120-2 at one stage, but a burst of four wickets in four deliveries put paid to their chances.

Sam Billings rattled a quickfire 43 from 29 balls and opening partner Sam Northeast cracked 60 from 43 as they put on 90 for the opening wicket in 10.2 overs.

Billings and Darren Stevens went in quick succession, but it was the four-wicket collapse that cost the home side.

First Northeast and Mahmood (13) departed from successive deliveries from another former Kent man, Neil Dexter, before Matt Coles began the following over by firing Stirling’s first ball straight to Tom Smith and Alex Blake was then run-out without facing a ball.

Kent eventually stuttered to 159-7 for their third defeat in their last four t20 games, leaving them third in the South table.

What do you make of Denly's winning return to the St Lawrence Ground? Have your say below.