by Andrew Gidley

Fraser Watts and the Edinburgh weather contrived to leave Kent Spitfires on the wrong end of a nine-wicket defeat on the Duckworth Lewis method against the Scottish Saltires at The Grange on Monday.

Kent skipper Rob Key (pictured) lost the important toss, before 11 overs were lost at the start. Kent struggled to 65-4 off 19.5 overs between stoppages, before a three-hour delay left the Scots needing a revised target of 77 in 18 overs.

Match-winner Watts, dropped earlier by Joe Denly, hit 45 off 38 balls, including two sixes and six fours, with 20 off Simon Cook’s first over - the sixth of the innings.

The Kent medium pacer eventually got his revenge, having Cook caught by James Hockley, with the score 68, before skipper Gavin Hamilton and Russell Watson saw them home with 19 balls to spare.

Kent made a poor start losing Denly (4) and then Saturday’s century hero Martin van Jaarsveld went for a sixth-ball duck to leave them 16-2.

Key, dropped first ball by Nel, made 14 before playing on, third out at 39, and then Geraint Jones was stumped off Majid Haq for 18 at 54-4, before more rain drove the players off three overs later.

Kent can still qualify for the quarter-finals, but they must beat Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston on Wednesday, and dramatically improve their poor net run rate to have any chance of a place in the last eight.