A COMPETITION-BEST bowling return of five for 28 by Kent’s South African all-rounder Tyron Henderson inspired Spitfires to a remarkable 109-run win over Somerset Sabres.

Though Kent had not covered themselves with batting distinction when posting 213 for eight from their 40 overs, they picked themselves up to put in a resounding display in the field led by Henderson’s dramatic eight over burst.

Bowling with good pace on a dry and dusty pitch, Henderson got some additional bounce from the Old Pavilion End which, coupled with some well-disguised slower balls, all proved too much for the Sabres top-order as they capitulated to 104 all out within 25 overs.

In his farewell appearance for the county Justin Langer (5) misjudged the length in attempting to pull one from Henderson only to drag the ball onto his stumps.

He was replaced by another Australian, tall right-hander Cameron White who creamed two drives to the ropes before he feathered the inside edge after another attempted straight drive off Henderson for the ball to graze off stump.

Henderson took his third wicket in as many overs when Matthew Wood, having looked untroubled in getting to 18, cracked an overhead catch that James Tredwell at mid-off did well to cling on to.

Former Kent all-rounder came in to chip the ball around for 14 until he chipped one off man-of-the-match Henderson to Matthew Walker at mid-on as though it were catching practice then the South African took his fifth wicket of the night.

Tredwell then starred with the ball, having Arul Suppiah caught behind when trying to cut a ball too full in length and too close to the body for the shot as the collapse continued at 70 for six.

In the next over and a run later Min Patel got in on the act by bowling Carl Gazzard around his legs as he attempted to sweep.

With the partisan 5,000-stroing crowd already starting to thin out Tredwell claimed a second when James Hildreth flicked across the line of a straight ball then, in the next over, a leaden-footed Richard Johnson pushed at a floated ball from Patel to be bowled.

It was all over with 15 overs still scheduled to be bowled when last man Charl Willoughby slogged and missed to give Patel three for 20 while Tredwell finished with two for 25.

With demands from their skipper for more urgency at the top of the order, Kent’s batsmen went for their shots early on what appeared a tricky and previously used Taunton pitch.

But it was their shot selection and running between the wickets that let them down and led to yet another poor start to a one-day innings.

With just two to his name Darren Stevens attempted to play a back-foot forcing shot against Andrew Caddick only to chip to mid-on.

In-form Martin van Jaarsveld clipped two on-side boundaries to move to 22 but, in the next over, he was called through for a chancy single by Neil Dexter only to be run out by Andrew Caddick’s direct hit.

Three overs later Dexter (38) attempted a run-down off Johnson only to edge to the keeper and, with his score on 13, Key became the second run out victim when he risked a second to deep mid-wicket only to lose the race against Willoughby’s flat throw.

At 84 for four Kent were in need of some common sense batting, but for once Walker (9) was unable to supply it as he also edged to the keeper after another attempted cut to third-man.

Dwayne Bravo then teamed up with James Tredwell to add 44 for the sixth wicket - the highest and brightest stand of the innings – with Bravo playing the shot of the innings with a six over extra cover against Cameron White.

The entertainment came to an end when, in trying to repeat the shot against Willoughby, he picked out Johnson at deep extra cover to go for a paltry top-score of 45 from 55 balls.

Henderson’s brief onslaught only lasted 14 balls and included a six to ‘cow corner’ and a four in his 20 before he was adjudged caught behind, though there was a suspicion he had in fact hit the ball.

When Tredwell (28) went leg before heaving across the line to Willoughby there was a real danger Spitfires would not even reach 200.

Some innovative strokes from Niall O’Brien (11) and Patel (13) ensured they at least reached that milestone.

With only 15 fours and a brace of sixes to show from their 40 overs, there was a sense Kent had under-achieved – but Somerset’s inept batting display meant Spitfires had posted more than enough to open their NatWest Pr040 win account for the season.