KENT skipper Rob Key hopes Sunday’s dismal six-wicket defeat at the hands Surrey will act as a wake-up call to his side ahead of tonight’s Twenty20 Cup quarter final clash with Leicestershire.

The Spitfires trekked up the M40 from Guildford having suffered a punishing defeat to the Brown Caps after being out-performed in all departments.

They scored their runs too slowly, bowled waywardly and proved sloppy in the field allowing Surrey, who also play a quarter-final tie tonight, to win at the canter.

Key said: “We were never at the races and didn’t show enough intent with the bat early on.

“Although the Surrey boys bowled pretty well at the start I felt we didn’t put enough pressure on them and were guilty of just hanging around.

“Our bowlers never really hit form either and fed James Benning on the cut with too much width. It was a shame for Amjad Khan, because he has bowled so well this season for us this season and he didn’t do himself any justice here.”

With just hours to lift his squad ahead of the clash at Grace Road, Key added: “We have come off a pretty tough stint with back-to-back championship matches but the guys must re-group now and put things right quickly.

“I’m hoping this performance (at Guildford) could prove to be a good thing because there are times in the county game when team’s hit cruise control and hopefully this performance will wake us up.”

Key will welcome back Min Patel and understudy wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien for the game and may consider a season’s cup debut for swing bowler Martin Saggers.

Foxes’ officials are hoping for a 6,000 sell-out for the tie, which is also being televised by Sky Sports from 5.30pm.

Kent from: Dexter, Stevens, Henderson, van Jaarsveld, Key, Walker, Bravo, Tredwell, Khan, O’Brien, Patel, Saggers, Cook.