Kent’s Friends Life t20 woes continued as they suffered a nine-wicket drubbing against Middlesex Panthers at Uxbridge on Sunday afternoon.

The Spitfires lost their fourth straight game to remain rooted to the foot of South Group and already needing something akin to a miracle to reach the knockout stages.

For the second time in nine days, they were tormented by 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Rossington who made a superb 74 from 37 balls to steer his side past the Spitfires’ below-par 140-6 with more than four overs to spare.

The hosts won the toss, choosing to field and took the upper-hand almost immediately as openers Rob Key (7) and Sam Northeast (4) soon returned to the pavilion to leave Kent 16-2 from 19 deliveries.

Darren Stevens provided his usual resistance with a six and four fours, putting on 45 in little over four overs with Sam Billings but once Stevens was caught by Dawid Malan for 25, Billings followed almost instantly, caught behind by Rossington off Neil Dexter for 22.

At 67-4, Geraint Jones – recalled behind the stumps in place of Billings and in the team ahead of Ben Harmison – combined with Alex Blake to put on 30 for the next wicket but after Jones was bowled by Toby Roland-Jones for 22, it was left to Blake to make his highest t20 score in Spitfires colours.

Blake’s 37 not out from 34 balls featured three fours and a six but support from Vernon Philander (8) and Matt Coles (7 not out) could only help Kent to 140-6 at the close.

The target immediately looked in danger as 10 came from Philander’s opening over and 13 from his second, in stark contrast to the 4-8 performance against the same opponents less than 10 days before.

Rossington hit 10 fours – including four in five deliveries against Stevens – and four sixes in his blistering innings, which had begun with two runs from his first nine deliveries but was eventually bowled by James Tredwell, again the pick of the Kent attack with 1-18 from his four overs.

Mitch Claydon’s two overs went for just five runs combined but his team-mates were less stingy, Philander going for 30 off three, Coles for the same from two and Stevens 16 from his one over.

Adam Riley cost 42 from 22 balls, including the winning runs as Malan (31 not out) and former Kent opener Joe Denly (33 not out from 20 balls) saw the hosts over the line following Rossington’s departure with the hosts already on 103.

Kent remain pointless in South Group ahead of Monday night’s trip to Chelmsford to face Essex.