Kent Spitfires finished their Twenty 20 campaign with a three wicket win over the Middlesex Panthers at Uxbridge on Sunday.

Knowing there was nothing to play for, the Spitfires put in a professional performance to win with six balls to spare.

Rob Key’s side went into the game with the same eleven that were beaten by the Essex Eagles at Canterbury on Friday night,
hoping to put that defeat well and truly behind them.

It was Key that called the toss correctly and he had no hesitation in inserting the home side at the picturesque outground
after rain had plagued the West London wicket for the past few days.

Once again, it was Mark Davies that made the breakthrough as he had the ever dangerous Paul Stirling caught by Simon Cook for
just 12.

Wickets were to fall at regular intervals for the Panthers as Steven Crook was removed for 18 having smashed two big sixes,
whilst Dawid Malan managed just four as he became the first of Darren Stevens’ victims.

Former Kent batsman and Panthers skipper Neil Dexter was Stevens’ second scalp as he picked out Rob Key for a well constucted
42.

Stevens was to finish with figures of 3 for 23 in his four overs having had Adam Rossington superbly caught by Sam Billings
on the boundary for a run a ball eight.

Both Adam Ball and Azhar Mahmood took two wickets each as the Panthers looked to accelerate, but all they succeeded in doing
was throwing away their wickets, gifting the Kent bowlers and finished on 124 for 9.

Again the Spitfires elected to open with the two Sams, Billings and Northeast with the former putting two balls to the
boundary before losing his wicket for ten.

Rob Key came and went for just three with Northeast looking assured for his 21 before he went with the score on 47 for 3.

Both Darren Stevens and Azhar Mahmood played in their trademark way, hitting the bad balls to the boundary with Stevens
accruing 26 off just 18 balls, hitting successive sixes and was caught by Malan at deep long off looking for a third in a
row.

Alex Blake showed his promise by chipping in with 22 off 23 balls as he too bagged two maximums, but when he fell at 115, the
side still needed another ten runs.

The run out of Mahmood for 30 with five still needed caused some jitters in the Kent ranks and when Adam Ball departed for
four with the scores level, some amomgst the home faithful were hoping for a shock, but Simon Cook showed his nerve and
experience to steer his second ball for the required single to win the game.

So, the Spitfires end their T20 campaign with a morale boosting win and they finish fourth in the Southern Division on nine
points.

From here, they have most of the week to prepare for the visit of the South Africa side to Canterbury for a three day game
beginning on Friday with tickets costing just £10 for adults and £5 for juniors in what is expected to be a superb game.

Kent Spitfires won the toss and elected to bowl.

Middlesex Panthers side: Dexter, Stirling, Crook, Malan, Scollay, Rossington, Simpson, Rayner, Wilkin, Murtagh, Smith.

Kent Spitfires side: Billings, Northeast, Key, Stevens, Mahmood, Blake, Jones, Ball, Cook, Davies, Riley.

Umpires: R Robinson & P Willey.

Result: Middlesex Panthers 124 for 9 (20 overs), Kent Spitfires 125 for 7 (19 overs). Kent Spitfires won by three wickets.

Picture by Sarah Ansell. To see more of Sarah’s pictures visit www.sarahcanterbury.com