Kent’s fine run of form in the Friends Life t20 came to an end on Friday when they lost by 28 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method at Middlesex.

Having won their three previous matches, including a low-scoring contest with Middlesex a week earlier at Canterbury, Spitfires failed to defend another modest total in wet conditions.

Rain fell for much of the game and eventually it proved too heavy to continue and the umpires took the teams off before declaring Middlesex winners by 28 runs.

Put into bat, skipper Rob Key went for just six in Kent’s reply and Azhar Mahmood (10) and Darren Stevens (6) were all back in the dugout by the 10th over as Kent limped to 53-3.

Joe Denly (pictured) showed good form, however, and hit eight fours and two sixes in his 84 not out from 64 balls.

He was given good support by the returning Martin van Jaarsveld (43 not out in 32 balls) as Kent added nearly 100 runs in the last 10 overs to post a challenging 149-3.

The tally included 21 runs from Tim Murtagh’s over, the penultimate one of the innings.

However, despite Mahmood taking the wicket of Adam Rossington without score, opener Paul Stirling raced to 51 not out from just 23 balls.

Scott Newman then chipped-in with 24 not out from 24 balls as Middlesex raced to 79-1 in 8 overs.

They were particulary severe on Kent’s two overseas bowlers as Wahab Riaz went for 14 from his one over, and Charl Langeveldt bowled two overs for 31 runs.