Gloucs end Kent hopes

Andrew Hall made 55 for Kent

Kent's hopes of reaching the Friends Provident Trophy semi-finals were dashed by Gloucestershire, who registered a comfortable 40-run victory at Tunbridge Wells.

Chasing 276 to seal their place in the last four, the Spitfires were dismissed for 235 in 46.2 overs - with Andrew Hall top-scoring with 55 from 65 balls.

Earlier, the Gladiators had done well after captain Alex Gidman had decided to make first use of a fine pitch.

Openers Kadeer Ali and Grant Hodnett went on the attack and had 50 runs on the board before the first wicket fell.

Kadeer took three boundaries off Hall's fourth over with a lofted drive to mid-on, followed by another to extra cover and then a drive along the ground to mid-on.

Hodnett flicked Arafat to mid-wicket and in the bowler's following over he drove a six over extra cover.

Arafat was replaced by Ryan McLaren in a double bowling change with Simon Cook coming on for Hall.

And Cook had a chance for a wicket in his first over but he dropped Ali - on 22 - off his own bowling.

Ryan McLaren hits out for Kent

In his second over, however, he had Hodnett (25) caught by Joe Denly at cover from a skied drive.

Hamish Marshall and Ali took the total to 84, when the Spitfires claimed two wickets in quick succession.

Ali was bowled on 37 in attempting a big hit towards mid-wicket in James Tredwell's second over.

And in the following over, with just one run added to the total by Chris Taylor, McLaren uprooted his middle stump.

But a stand of 105 between Marshall and Gidman revived the innings - with Marshall’s straight six off Tredwell bringing up the 100 in the 26th over.

Gidman scored rapidly and both players reached half-centuries in the same over, the 35th, off Darren Stevens.

Marshall took 62 balls with four fours and a six for his 50, while Gidman needed just 40 balls - which included five boundaries and a six.

Marshall was finally dismissed by Cook, who had him caught at long-off for 63.

And three overs later Gidman was caught at long-on by McLaren off the bowling of Tredwell for 62, leaving the Gladiators 215 for five.

Some lusty late hitting by Mark Hardinges carried the visitors to 275 for six - he hit consecutive sixes off Tredwell, as well as three fours.

Kent’s reply got off to a poor start when Geraint Jones flashed at Carl Greenidge outside off stump and was caught behind for four in the third over.

The first bowling change brought the next wicket when Stevens (27) played on to Hardinges, leaving the hosts 55 for two in the 12th over.

Gloucestershire celebrate a wicket for Ian Fisher

But Hall and Martin van Jaarsveld then took control and played some attractive shots, the 100 coming up in the 19th over.

Van Jaarsveld's powerful cut off the first ball from Alex Gidman was his fifth boundary and took him to 30 but in the next over Fisher accepted a one-handed return catch to end the South African's knock on 32.

Along with Hall he had put on 72 in 11 overs - during which Hall reached his half-century from 57 balls with seven boundaries.

Fisher struck again in his next over with Hall being caught at deep mid-wicket in the 25th over and the total was 148 for five.

Even though they progressed to 187 for seven in the next nine overs with the help of Matthew Walker's 40 there was not much left in the home side's batting.

Walker and Tredwell fell in consecutive overs and Kent were reduced to 189 for eight in the 41st over.

Despite some hard-hitting by tail-enders, McLaren (18) and Yasir Arafat - who made an unbeaten 26 off 22 balls - the target proved to be too much for Kent.

Fisher and Gidman claimed three wickets each for 45 and 54 runs respectively.