McLaren to the rescue

Ryan McLaren starred with bat, ball and in the field as Kent secured a tie at the Rose Bowl

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Ryan McLaren took a sensational catch running in from third man to ensure a last-ball tie in the Twenty20 Cup clash between Kent and Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

Hampshire required 10 runs from the final over of the match - bowled by newcomer Morne Morkel - and a single off the last ball to win.

But Greg Lamb, attempting to cut, could only top-edge to McLaren, who held the catch inches from the ground to ensure the points were shared.

Kent mustered 153 for six after winning the toss and Hampshire could do no better than equal it with seven wickets down.

Kent were in trouble after a slow start and were struggling at 90 for five with only four overs remaining, but McLaren, Geraint Jones and Yasir Arafat plundered 63 against Sean Ervine, Billy Taylor and Chris Tremlett.

South African McLaren lifted Tremlett for a straight six to finish with an unbeaten 46 from 19 balls in a big-hitting innings which also included eight fours.

Earlier, captain Robert Key hit five fours in his 59 to set up the Kent acceleration.

Chris Benham top-scored for Hampshire with 45 off 41 deliveries © Getty Images

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Hampshire made a sluggish start, losing Michael Carberry, Michael Lumb and Australian newcomer Adam Voges in reaching 20.

But Chris Benham led a recovery with a 41-ball 45 and Dimitri Mascarenhas celebrated his England call-up with a rapid 31 to follow his fine bowling performance of 3-17 in the Kent innings.

When Lamb and Nic Pothas came together, Hampshire required 43 from three.

Pothas was dropped by McLaren off Morkel when he had made 11 but the pair stayed together to guide Hampshire within touching distance of an unlikely victory.

Simon Cook had earlier pulled Hampshire back by taking 3-30 from four overs, including two wickets in an over.

Cook had Carberry taken at slip with his first delivery and, later in the same over, had Voges - brought in from Western Australian for the Twenty20 Cup - leg before for two.

But Hampshire fought back bravely, even though they were without their rested captain Shane Warne.

McLaren completed an outstanding personal match with economical figures of 1-29, sending back the dangerous Mascarenhas courtesy of a catch on the long-on boundary as Hampshire began the task of clawing back the deficit.