Kent Spitfires gained some belated revenge for their defeat by Middlesex in last season’s Twenty20 Cup final by easing to a 62-run victory over the holders at Lord’s on Wednesday night.

Martin van Jaarsveld hit 75 and Darren Stevens (pictured) smashed an unbeaten 59 off just 26 balls to set up Spitfires’ total of 191-3, a target which Middlesex never looked like achieving as they finished on 129-8.

The match marked the official unveiling of the permanent Lord’s floodlights and they certainly seemed to be to the liking of the Kent batsman apart, that is, from Rob Key.

After winning the toss, the Spitfires captain departed without scoring to the fourth ball of the innings, but then Joe Denly joined forces with van Jaarsveld to add 54 in seven overs before Denly (17) holed out to Shaun Udal.

Geraint Jones (30) and van Jaarsveld put on 60 in seven overs to take Kent into three figures, but the real fireworks started when Stevens came to the wicket.

In his first innings since May 6, when he broke a finger playing against Glamorgan, Stevens produced some thrilling power hitting as he and van Jaarsveld smashed 75 off only 35 balls.

Stevens was particularly brutal on Tyrone Henderson, slamming 18 off his third over and four successive fours off Henderson’s last in racing to a 21-ball half-century.

When Middlesex replied none of their batsmen could build an innings, despite the return of England men Owais Shah and Eoin Morgan. Morgan fell to his reverse sweep and Shah lofted a catch off James Tredwell after managing one huge sweep over deep mid-wicket.

Tredwell (2-14) was one of four Kent bowlers to pick up two wickets, but the man-of-the-match honours went to Stevens.