KENT’S pocket dynamo Matt Walker was justifiably peeved after Spitfires fell just six runs short of pulling off a mammoth and spectacular run chase against National League Division 1 leaders Surrey Lions.

Playing on the ground where he hit his maiden first-class century, Walker smashed an unbeaten 80 from 64 balls and featured in an astonishing fourth wicket stand worth 162 in 102 balls with Ed Smith (99).

But just as Spitfires moved within reach of Surrey’s 45-over total of 322 for seven the wheels came off their run chase in a near repeat of last season’s Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy semi-final agony in Taunton.

"It would have given us a great boost, a real kick-start to our season and chasing a total like that would have been fantastic, but it just wasn’t to be," said Walker afterwards.

"It’s always good to score runs, but I hate it when you get that close and miss out. "We have taken a few positives out of it and we did bat well, but we have to say that we bowled and fielded poorly and it was that that lost us the game, not the batting.

"We have to get the whole game plan right and when we do we will beat any side that comes up against us, but at the moment we aren’t quite getting all aspects spot on.

"Ed Smith’s one-day game came of age today and his batting was fantastic despite the fact that he’s been feeling the pressure a little in one-day cricket.

"Greg’s starting to find some form and Rob Key played well too, so we do have positives, we just have to try and be tougher."

This was undoubtedly a result the entire Kent side found tough to swallow on a day when almost everything went wrong for them in the field.

With forecasts for rain later in the day, Spitfires opted to give Surrey first use of a sublime Oval pitch and had little answer against the Lions’ star-studded top six batsmen.

Openers Ian Ward and Ali Brown teed off from ball one, showing no mercy against potential England recruit Martin Saggers and his new ball partner Ben Trott.

Bowling a full length from The Vauxhall End, Saggers saw the ball driven back over his head time and time again while Trott, at the Pavilion End, bowled back of a length only to invite the hook or short-armed pull.

Ward (31), Brown (44) and later Adam Hollioake weighed in, smiting the ball out of the ground three times during Trott’s seven-over stint of nought for 67.

After an opening stand of 78 in eight overs, Peter Trego came on to offer some respite with the wickets of both openers in successive overs, but it proved a brief respite, a mere delay between courses in this Surrey run feast.

Mark Ramprakash timed his unbeaten, 96-ball century to perfection allowing Graham Thorpe (36) and Azhar Mahmood (70) to provide the run-rate acceleration as the hosts scored at an agonising 7.15 runs an over.

Come the interval Kent’s bowling figures made for dismal reading but James Tredwell with two for 35 and Trego with four for 66 had good reason to be satisfied with their day’s work.

Acting captain Mark Ealham soon perished in his pinch-hitting role, but he promoted Trego (21) to carry-on pinching and he and Key (39) added a sprightly 48 before both fell in the space of nine runs.

At 71 for three the run chase looked all but over, but to their eternal credit Kent dug deep into their resolve to give Surrey the fright of their lives and threaten the league record 317 for the highest successful run chase.

Blewett looked set for better things during his cameo 36 that ended when he misread Saqlain Mushtaq’s ‘wrong‘un’.

Smith and Walker came together with 25 overs remaining, their side requiring another185 runs at a rate of 7.4 an over, but their intelligent cricket, strong running and excellent placement took them to the brink of victory.

Having already posted his one-day best, Smith was just one short of his maiden limited overs’ ton when he lost his off stump when working to leg against Mahmood.

Smith rightly accepted the adulation and must have expected his team mates to polish off the job, but Walker faced just six of the last 21 balls, Geraint Jones and Michael Carberry perished in the late flail and Spitfires crashed one more.