Kent Spitfires v Surrey Brown Caps

DESPITE giving it their battling best, Kent's patched up bowling attack were unable to contain the power-hitting Surrey side as the Brown Caps edged a last ball, one-wicket NatWest Pro40 League win under the floodlights at St Lawrence.

A big Canterbury crowd remained fairly subdued for much of the time as the visitors, having lost two wickets in the space of three balls of the fourth over, recovered with aplomb through man-of-the-match Scott Newman.

But a rash of wickets in the last over enlivened supporters from both sides and left Newman with it all to do.

Chasing Kent's workmanlike if under-par total of 159 for eight, Surrey's Newman, who finished unbeaten with 92 from 132 balls, and Mark Butcher (24) counter-attacked to add 67 for the third wicket inside 14 overs.

Without both overseas players, the injured Ryan McLaren and unable to turn to Darren Stevens, still troubled by an abdominal strain, Key was down to the bare bones of an attack and accordingly had to fiddle overs from Martin van Jaarsveld and Neil Dexter.

Having seen James Benning (13) and Rory Hamilton-Brown go in the space of a Simon Cook over, Benning unluckily leg-before and Hamilton-Brown spectacularly caught behind, Newman got his head down to anchor the innings.

The introduction of off-spinner James Tredwell caused problems from the Nackington Road End as the England A| player, having seen a huge leg before shout turned down against Butcher, then bowled the Surrey skipper around his legs when attempting to sweep.

Tredwell promoted his cause for a winter tour spot by dismissing Ali Brown for a fifth-ball duck. The Surrey dangerman was drawn down the pitch by the flight, only to see the ball dart through the gate and peg back leg stump.

Three overs later occasional off-spinner Martin van Jaarsveld got in on the act by having Jonathan Batty caught at mid-wicket after the right-hander checked a leg-side clip.

Tredwell was replaced after six overs by Martin Saggers who, after an over, gave way for Neil Dexter who with his third ball back had Chris Jordan well caught at slip on the slash drive.

That bought in Chris Schofield, fresh from having four stitches inserted into the webbing of his left hand at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, the legacy of trying to make a boundary stop early in the Kent innings.

He did a good job holding down one end, rotating the strike nicely allowing Newman to inflict the damage.

Newman hit the first six of the Brown Caps' innings in the 37th over of the innings and Tredwell's last, the blow greatly eased the pressure of the run chase while denting Tredwell's otherwise impressive figures of two for 20.

With two needed for the win Schofield blotted his copybook by playing around a Dexter yorker to go leg-before for 11 and heap pressure on next man in Neil Saker.

Driving at the next ball Saker dragged his back foot and, as Kent appealed for a catch, so Geraint Jones whipped off the bails for a delayed stumping.

Two were still required from three balls when Jade Dernbach, Surrey's bowling hero sidled in,

Dernbach drove at his first ball and set off in anticipation of a run, only to see Dexter collect the ball, return to Jones who whipped off the bails to run him out.

Mohammad Akram then came out with two needed off as many deliveries and duly ran a single to short third man to tie the scores and leave Newman on strike.

The burly left-hander duly hit the last ball for a single through mid-wicket to win the game and put an end to Kent's spirited fight.

Earlier, lapse stroke-play from Kent's top-order saw them slip to 18 for three and then 79 for five, so reaching 159 proved no mean feat on another slow pitch that made limited overs batting more of a chore than a joy.

It was a pitch to nudge and nurdle rather than drive through the line, yet Kent set out to do the latter as early as the second ball of the innings when Joe Denly nicked an expansive drive off Dernbach to the keeper Batty.

Only 17 runs on, 12 of then to Rob Key, the skipper gave up a promising start with a rash drive and an identical mode of dismissal.

It was three out of three for Batty and Dernbach when Matt Walker (5) attempted to open the face and run one down to third man, but Darren Stevens broke the run when his idle drive picked out the fielder at cover point.

England Under-19 skipper and off-spinner Hamilton-Brown then bagged his maiden wickets in first team cricket by having Neil Dexter (14) caught behind trying the run down then van Jaarsveld (40) who was beaten in the flight to find a leading edge to cover.

Thankfully for the Sky Sports cameras the Spitfires tail wagged somewhat as Geraint Jones (21), Tredwell (32), Simon Cook (10) and debutant Alex Blake (11) as the hosts added 34 in the last five overs.

Tredwell hit the only six of the innings off Chris Jordan, but the young Surrey seamer hit back next ball by having Tredwell caught in the deep leaving Jordan with figures of two for 36, while Dernbach and Hamilton-Brown bagged three apiece.