Kent claim dramatic win

Robert Key smashed 30 with several unorthodox shots

Defending Twenty20 Cup champions Kent kicked off their campaign with a victory off the penultimate ball of the game against Sussex Sharks at Canterbury to win by six wickets.

Chasing 138, Rob Key and Joe Denly gave the Spitfires an excellent start with Key in particular playing fluent strokes and showing confidence in going down the wicket for a drive in the earlier overs.

His 30 came from 29 balls and he hit six boundaries while Denly picked up singles and twos in giving support to his captain.

It took 10 overs for the Sharks to break the opening stand of 68 and it came with the second bowling change when left-arm spinner Michael Yardy had Key held at mid-on from a lofted drive.

Denly went on to play his shots more freely and smacked Yardy over midwicket and followed it up with a single off the next ball as he took his score to 40.

Dwayne Smith was brought back for a second spell and with his first ball he had Martin van Jaarsveld caught behind for seven to take it to 92 for two in the 14th over.

In his following over, Smith trapped Justin Kemp lbw after the South African had driven the previous ball for six to long-on.

Darren Stevens top-edged a pull shot off Luke Wright into his face in the 17th over to retire hurt and the incoming batsman Azhar Mahmood got off the mark with a flicked four off Corey Collymore.

Two balls later the Pakistan all-rounder lofted him over long-on for six to take the total to 125 for three after 18 overs.

Joe Denly brought up his half-century from 54 balls

His strokeplay continued as he reached 19 not out from only 10 balls, bringing him the man of the match award, while Denly brought up his half-century from 54 balls before Collymore bowled him with three balls remaining.

Finally, with two runs needed from two balls it was four byes that took the Spitfires to the winning total.

Earlier, after putting the Sharks in to bat the Spitfires were given a great start with Yasir Arafat having Matthew Prior edging being the stumps and three balls later Wright's lofted cut shot went into the hands of backward point.

There was not much recovery as, after the addition of just 22 runs, the third wicket fell. It came with Ryan McLaren replacing Arafat and having Murray Goodwin caught superbly off cover.

It was left to the Sharks' new signing, West Indian Smith who joined the county only on Monday and Chris Adams to revive the innings.

Smith struck the first of five sixes of the innings when he drove McLaren over cover and later struck a six over mid-on.

Adams helped himself to three sixes, the last of which was hit upon bringing up his half-century, off McLaren, before the next ball had him caught at long-on.

His explosive innings of 57 came from 37 balls and he had taken the total to 111 for five in the 14th over.

Meanwhile he had lost his partner Smith who skied to mid-on for 28 from 22 balls.

There was little to come from the rest of the batsmen who did not even reach double figures with some outstanding bowling from Arafat who finished with 4-17 while McLaren and James Tredwell claimed two wickets apiece.