Kent Spitfires suffered a five-wicket defeat against the Nottinghamshire Outlaws to end their Yorkshire Bank 40 campaign on a low-note at Canterbury on Monday.

The visitors cruised to their victory target of 196 with 10 balls to spare to earn themselves a home semi-final, while Kent finished five points adrift of a last-four berth.

In the final action of the 162nd Canterbury Cricket Week, skipper James Tredwell had won the toss and chosen to bat first, but Sam Northeast (2) was soon back in the pavilion after a poor shot offered a catch to second-slip Samit Patel off Harry Gurney.

Rob Key (41) put on 76 with Brendan Nash (47) for the second wicket in a gritty 18-over spell but the former skipper nicked one from David Hussey to Chris Read and Nash skied a Jake Ball delivery to mid-on to leave Kent 112-3 with just over 14 overs remaining.

Darren Stevens added a breezy 27 but was caught in the deep trying to hoik Patel for six and the left-arm spinner trapped Geraint Jones LBW (1) soon after to leave it 135-5.

Fabian Cowdrey and Adam Ball added 39 in a solid five-over stand before Ball holed-out to mid-off for 22, however Cowdrey remained to reach 39 not out as Kent closed on 195-6 and enhance his growing reputation.

The visitors always looked capable of chasing down their target and Alex Hales (74) and Patel (59) made sure of the victory they needed to qualify for the semi-finals.

The pair put on a match-winning partnership of 107 in 22 overs after Michael Lumb (28) had helped the reply get off to a bright start before being expertly stumped by Jones off Mark Davies.

Davies (2-33) also got James Taylor (6) to nick one to Jones to make it 57-2, but Patel was next to fall with the score on 164, cracking Tredwell (1-31) to sub fielder Ben Harmison at long-on.

Ball’s fine throw saw Hales run-out with six overs remaining, and Stevens had Riki Wessels caught by Ball for nine soon after, however Hussey sealed the win with a straight six off ball to finish unbeaten on 19.