An outstanding 66 from Hampshire batsman Glenn Maxwell ended Kent’s hopes of a second consecutive victory over the Royals.
Kent had posted 135-6 from their 20 overs, but an astonishing assault from the Australian batsman, which saw him score his 66 runs from just 32 balls, saw the visitors home at Canterbury.
The Spitfires won the toss and skipper Rob Key chose to bat at the St Lawrence Ground as changeable weather moved overhead; scattered rain showers making way for bright sunshine at times throughout the game.
Kent were unchanged from the side which beat the Royals by three runs at Southampton on Friday night, whilst the visitors made brought in Liam Dawson for Danny Briggs; away on international duty with England.
Sam Billings hit the first boundary of the day, a lovely cover drive for four in the second over, but was out in the next over, as he skied a ball from Dimi Mascarenhas, the catch taken easily by Hants keeper Michael Bates.
And skipper Rob Key was out next ball; the batsmen having crossed, lbw to Mascarenhas. Darren Stevens survived the hat-trick ball, and he and Azhar Mahmood set about rebuilding the innings, as Kent reached the end of their six powerplay overs at 25-2.
The two batsmen continued, slowly but surely, moving the balls around the field, rarely hitting top gear, before Mahmood departed, bowled off his pads by Liam Dawson for 21, leaving the Spitfires at 52-2.
Brendan Nash joined Stevens at the crease, and Stevens hit the first six of the day – over extra cover – in the 13th over, before Nash departed for 10, bowled by Glenn Maxwell.
This brought more big shots from Stevens, hitting boundaries off the bowling of Sean Ervine, including two sixes over long-off and one over square leg.
Stevens then moved to his half-century with another six, this one over long-on, as the Spitfires reached 104-4 with four overs of their innings left.
Sam Northeast, top-scorer in the Kent innings on Friday night, departed for just 6 as he attempted to hit into the deep, before Stevens was the last man out, gone on the last ball of the final over, caught in the deep by Maxwell off the bowling of Chris Wood.
Stevens’ 60 (3×4, 4×6) provided the main bulk of the Spitfires 135-6, a score that always felt perhaps 10 or 15 runs short.
The all-rounder then opened the bowling, taking the second over from the Pavilion End with Mark Davies from the Nackington Road End.
It was Davies who made the breakthrough in the third over, taking a superb caught and bowled opportunity with Michael Carberry batting, leaving the Royals at 8-1.
Jimmy Adams and James Vince saw Hampshire onwards, before Vince was the second man out, his stumps shattered by Adam Ball with only his second delivery, as the England Lions batsman departed for 17.
Hampshire reached 56-2 at the halfway point in their innings, but they were three-down shortly after; Neil McKenzie departing for 2 as Ball picked up his second wicket, Geraint Jones taking a smart catch standing up to the stumps.
Jimmy Adams then departed in the next over, James Tredwell bowling Adams with a straighter ball for 31, leaving the visitors in trouble at 59-4.
That brought Aussie batsman Maxwell to the crease, and, having solidly defended his first three balls, began to hit boundaries, including three sixes and a four in four deliveries off Tredwell in the 14th over as the Royals brought the 100 up.
The destructive batsman brought up his half century in just 22 balls, taking only 14 minutes, as the Spitfire bowlers took something of a pasting.
Kent had certainly not given up hope, their determination typified by an incredible, athletic piece of fielding by Adam Ball on the boundary, diving over the rope and throwing the ball back in to turn what would have been a six for Hampshire into a single.
This incident caused some frayed tempers between the two sides, however, with Hampshire captain Mascarenhas voicing his displeasure at the umpires’ decision not to award the boundary.
It was to matter little, though, as two more boundaries completed a six-wicket victory for Hampshire with 10 balls to spare; Maxwell eventually finishing on 66, with five fours and six sixes.
Kent will now look to get back on track in the T20 South Group with a win against the Middlesex Panthers at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury, on Tuesday night.
Kent won the toss and elected to bat.
Kent side: Key, Billings, Mahmood, Stevens, Nash, Northeast, Jones, Tredwell, Coles, Ball, Davies.
Hampshire side: Adams, Carberry, Vince, McKenzie, Ervine, Maxwell, Mascarenhas, Ali, Wood, Bates, Dawson.
Umpires: M Bodenham & D Millns
Result: Kent Spitfires 135-6 (20 overs), Hampshire Royals 138-4 (18.2 overs). Hampshire Royals won by six wickets.
Picture by Sarah Ansell. To see more of Sarah’s pictures visit www.sarahcanterbury.com