Kent Spitfires are still looking for their first home Clydesdale Bank 40 home win of the season after suffering a 19-run defeat to Sussex Sharks at the St Lawrence Ground on Sunday.

Opener Chris Nash inspired the visitors by carrying his bat for 124 as they reached 249 from their 40 overs.

It was a challenging run-rate for Kent to keep up with, and although they looked in with a chance while Rob Key and Darren Stevens were together after they were out it was too big a task.

Joe Denly was the surprise inclusion in the Spitfires’ side having not been expected to return for another couple of weeks following a fractured thumb sustained against Gloucestershire last month.

Key won the toss and, having chosen to bowl, saw Sussex make a brisk start to the innings.

Ed Joyce and Nash put on 50 for the opening wicket before James Tredwell struck with his first ball of the afternoon courtesy of an Azhar Mahmood (pictured on his way to 3-52) catch at long-on.

The impressive Nash went on to reach his half-century, before Mahmood’s second catch of the afternoon, this time at long-off, saw Luke Wright depart for 41 off the bowling of Adam Ball.

Ball picked up his second wicket when Matt Coles showed a safe pair of hands at long-on to send Murray Goodwin back to the pavilion.

Nash brought up his century before Tredwell, having struck with his first ball of the day, did so with his last when Michael Yardy was caught by van Jaarsveld at cover.

Lou Vincent was trapped leg before by Mahmood who then also accounted for Naved-ul-Hasan thanks to Sam Northeast’s catch at long-on.

Sussex then lost four wickets in Mahmood’s final over as Andy Hogg, Naved Arif and Monty Panesar were all run out. Mahmood then wrapped up the innings himself by bowling Chris Liddle.

In reply, Denly’s return came to a premature end when he was bowled by Arif for 11 and soon after Coles was caught by Nash while going for a big hit off Liddle for one to leave Kent 35-2 in the eighth over.

Key and van Jaarsveld steadied the ship for Kent, but fell two runs short of a 50-partnership for the third wicket when the latter was caught by Nash at long-on for 24.

Kent were 85-3 at the halfway point of their innings with Sussex 127-2 at the same stage.

Key completed a 66-ball half-century with a boundary and enjoyed a 50-stand with Stevens who then went leg before to Naved-ul-Hasan for a rapid 43.

When Key followed soon after, having been caught at long off by Joyce, Kent had a mountain to climb.

Northeast was run out for following a mix-up with Geraint Jones, who was then himself bowled by Yardy.

Mahmood was caught by Wright and Tredwell run out, before the Kent’s innings ended on to an end on 230-9

Kent: Denly, Key, Northeast, van Jaarsveld, Stevens, Jones, Mahmood, Tredwell, Coles, Ball, Shaw.