Essex’ condemned the Kent Spitfires to a fifth consecutive Vitality Blast defeat on Friday night as they cruised to a five-wicket win at Canterbury.

Simon Harmer, Ben Allison and Matt Critchley all claimed two wickets as Kent were limited to 156 for seven, Sam Billings the highest scorer with 38.It never looked like being enough on a typically batter-friendly St. Lawrence wicket and Michael Pepper blasted 76 from 42 balls as the visitors coasted home with five overs to spare, finishing on 157 for five.

Essex chose to bowl and got Daniel Bell-Drummond for 10, Allison duping him into a false shot that looped to Pepper at deep backward point.

Zak Crawley had made 20 when he hit Critchley to Allison on the deep-midwicket boundary and the umpires ruled his foot wasn’t in contact with the rope as he took a juggling catch.

Tawanda Muyeye hit Simon Harmer back over his head for six but was bowled off the next ball for 18, giving Harmer his first Blast wicket of the season.Joey Evison went for seven, swatting Paul Walter to Allison at mid-off, but the real prize was Billings, who hit Critchley almost vertically before Luc Benkenstein took a steepling catch.

Marcus O’Riordan made 20 from 11 before playing on to Harmer, Allison bowled Beyers Swanepoel for two and it was left to Harry Finch to milk what he could from the tail, finishing on 24 not out.

The Essex innings was just an over old when the umpires took the players off because the sun was apparently “too bright,” prompting the DJ to play “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves.

They were almost at the rope when a cloud appeared and they were called back. Adam Rossington lasted just three more balls before he chipped Xavier Bartlett to Nathan Gilchrist.

A second light delay followed before Gilchrist had Dean Elgar caught by O’Riordan for seven, leading to an eventful Jordan Cox cameo against his former county. He walked out to a mixture of booing and applause and responded with three successive fours off Bartlett. He then dumped Gilchrist for consecutive sixes, only to sky his next ball to Billings, falling for an eight-ball 26 and walking off to cries of “Judas” and worse from an unforgiving handful of home fans.

After nine overs it was 99 for three and the WASP predictor suggested Essex were 99 percent likely to win. That was absurd as Walter immediately holed out to Matt Parkinson and was caught by an inrushing Bartlett for 15, but Pepper was playing with such ease that any realistic home hopes had faded long before swished at Evison and Parkinson couldn’t cling on at short third man.

With fans streaming for the exits Gilchrist had Pepper caught on the boundary by Finch, leaving Critchley to score the winning runs with an inside edge that went for four.

Essex’s Michael Pepper said: “We were three from six before these back-to-back wins so to be five from eight at the end of this block puts us in a good position. We bowled and fielded unbelievably tonight on what we thought was a good wicket. There was a bit of bounce with the new ball, but apart from that we thought it was a nice wicket. To restrict them to 160 was an unbelievable effort from the bowlers.

(On the light delay) “The sun was setting right behind the sight screen and it was just above the stand so it was a little bit awkward, it was just in my eyeline, but apart from that the wicket felt nice. The odd ball bounced but on the whole it was quite true, with the pace and the bounce to was perfect. Just what you want for batting.

(On batting at three) “Wickets are always going to go down in the powerplay. The ball was actually doing quite a bit. We bat so deep that we’ve all got the license, whenever you go in just to keep on going and trust our strength. We bat the whole way down so it’s just keeping positive.

“(Cox) came in and hit 26 off eight or something. The odd big over really helps and before we even realised it we just looked up at the scoreboard and we only needed sixes.”

Kent’s Sam Billings said: “I knew on that pitch we needed 180 plus so I had to give it a go, because as we saw, with just 160 you’re just going to get blown out of the water. We’d got into a position where I’d given myself a platform, it just didn’t come off.

(On the bowling). “It’s just not good enough. Let’s be honest, we’ve played enough cricket and we keep on putting it on a length. We look at every single game and people are hitting way more sixes than us because we simply don’t get given those balls to hit. We talk about lengths, every single game individually and collectively. It either comes down to mentality or lack of skill.

“I don’t want to stand here and slate anyone individually. No one’s meaning to bowl like that but we’re so far off at the moment, that’s the crux of it for us. I’m not a mathematician, here’s obviously a very slim chance, but we’re going to have to have a perfect record and we’re way off it at the moment.

“People have been crying out for opportunities. Now’s the time to take them in whatever format.”

“This is where someone like a Jack Leaning comes in, what he offers is a huge amount of character in that dressing room.”

(On being available for red ball cricket) “As I’ve said to Daniel, if I’m needed you know I’ve not shut that door totally and I’ll never say no to helping out. Right now as I think my form’s shown in this format of the game I’m playing as well as I have done in a Kent shirt for a long time and I’m enjoying my cricket, regardless of the results. It was always a decision based on my own family life and personal life. I’d never say no but I think there’s other guys who are chomping at the bit.

“Were Finchy was to break his finger or get injured I would happily step in. If needed I will absolutely help out, but at the point in time that’s not the case.

“I’m playing as well as I have done in a Kent shirt for a long time, really clear mind and back to what I do best really.”