KENT'S hopes of reaching the last four of the Friends Provident Trophy disappeared with Wednesday's dismal 40-run defeat to Gloucestershire in Tunbridge Wells - on a day when neither of these sides made it through to the semi-finals.

Chasing Gloucestershire's impressive 50-over total of 275 for six, Spitfires capitulated to 235 all out with 22 balls remaining to miss out of their place in the last four of a competition they had bossed for nigh on three weeks.

In the last 15 years Kent have struggled when batting second in major one-day competitions, and once again chasing a workmanlike total proved their Achilles heel - just as it had on Sunday, when they failed by two runs to beat Hampshire here at Tunbridge Wells.

There were occasional glimmers that this time there may be a different outcome for Kent's long-suffering fans.

True to form, the hosts made a poor start and the combination of Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones as one-day openers again failed. They have averaged only 15 in the previous seven FP Trophy starts and this time they had only eight on the board when Jones nicked an attempted drive to be caught behind.

Darren Stevens moved to 27 from 33 balls, his second top score in the competition, before Mark Hardinges squeezed one through bat and pad to re-arrange the right-handers stumps.

South Africans Andrew Hall (55) and Martin van Jaarsveld (32) restored some hope in the Nevill supporters with a stand of 72 in 11 overs, but van Jaarsveld then chipped a return catch to Ian Fisher and Hall, in working to leg, timed the ball so well that it just reached Grant Hodnett low down at deep mid-wicket.

Rob Key's dangerous dalliance with the sweep shot continued and once again he perished, toe-ending a looping catch to Fisher, then Joe Denly, looking totally ill at ease in his berth at No7., clipped a return catch to Alex Gidman to make it 187 for six.

As with Sunday's game against the Hawks, Kent's last hopes rested on the shoulders of Matt Walker but, after reaching 40 from 54 balls, the left-hander clipped to short mid-wicket to be well held by Chris Taylor.

James Tredwell worked across the line to go leg before to Gidman and though Yasir Arafat (26) and Ryan McLaren (18) hit out lustily, any lingering hopes of Kent qualification went when McLaren sliced a hip-high full-toss to cover.

Last man Simon Cook was bowled soon after leaving Kent's supporters to ponder what might have been and debate just why the side cannot seemingly cross the finish line when it comes to one-day competition.

Earlier, Gloucestershire's batsmen lived a charmed life at the start of their innings, time and time they miscued and mistimed shots, only for the ball to land safely in spaces after they had elected to bat first.

At one point a total of 220 looked par for the course, but they were indebted to Hamish Marshall for an excellent 63 from 76 balls and an even swifter 62 from 69 balls from Gidman.

Hardinges gave their innings a late flurry with two sixes off Tredwell that left Kent to chase victory at the rate of 5.52 an over - a task that proved well beyond them.