Kent batsman Darren Stevens believed Spitfires had the batting firepower to win in Tuesday night's tight finish at Uxbridge.

As it was, Kent fell six short of the 12 they needed from Tyron Henderson's final over and slipped to their third defeat of the Twenty20 Southern Division qualification campaign.

Though undefeated with a quickfire 28, Stevens was clearly disappointed not to have led the visitors to victory.

He said: "We were well pleased with their total (171-7) when we came off.

"It was a good pitch, quick outfield and a small ground and with our big-hitting boys down the order we really fancied our chances of getting the runs.

"We got off to a good start and ran brilliantly, but just couldn't get over the line at the end there.

"We were going alright and it was a shame Azhar Mahmood got out when he did with two overs to go.

"But even at the end there I was backing us to do it. I said to all the lads coming in, if we can get to 12 to 15 from the last over I'd back myself to do it. Sure enough, we needed 12 off the last, but sadly I didn't get the strike until the last ball."

Explaining Kent's decision to promote Yasir Arafat to bat at No4 in the order ahead of both Justin Kemp and Stevens, the ex-Leicestershire batsman added: "Yasir had been hitting the ball well in the nets, he's good against spinners, and they said to him 'you go in and have a go', then the plan was for Azhar to go in for the last seven overs because he's playing so well at the moment.

"It's understandable. It's just the way it is. There's nothing I can do or say, I've just got to go and try and win the game wherever I go in. But at the end there I just couldn't get the strike."