Kent Spitfires secured their second Royal London One-day Cup win of the south group campaign after easing aside Somerset by 95-runs during a squally afternoon in Canterbury.

Spitfires posted a creditable 231 for six from their reduced allocation of 30 overs after half-centuries from Daniel Bell-Drummond and skipper Sam Northeast, a total that proved way beyond the remit of an out-of-sorts Somerset side.

Gloom, rain, thunderstorms and bad light dominated the morning, but umpires Jeff Evans and Steve Garrett finally deemed conditions playable at 2.30pm and Kent, having lost the toss, made the best of tricky conditions.

In-form openers Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond posted 56 for the first wicket before Denly, on 12, top edged an attempted pull to mid-on.

Bell-Drummond, whose stunning early season form must have caught the eye of the England selectors, marched on to a 39 ball 50 with seven fours, but the England Lions’ bat holed out to long-on to make it 128 for two.

Kent skipper Northeast shouldered the batting responsibility thereafter, hitting an elegant 64, while those around him perished in the pursuit of rapid runs.

While Northeast plundered five fours and a maximum, his colleagues struggled to provide fluent support on a pitch that had been dulled by the earlier showers,

Billings, fresh from a stunning unbeaten ton against Glamorgan, succumbed for 29 but with a useful 36 from Darren Stevens Kent set a testing target of 232 to win at a rate of ?? per over.

Run-rate pressure and a pitch enlivened by the rain soon took its toll on Somerset’s top order and the match was as good as sorted once the Spitfires reduced their visitors to 44 for four.

Billings took a stunning catch low to his right to account for Johannes Myburgh (4) off the bowling of Matt Coles, then Darren Stevens snared Adam Hose (10) leg before to make it 35 for two.

Stevens then clipped the top of Jim Allenby’s off pole to send him packing for a golden duck then, once Somerset dangerman and former Kent all-rounder, Peter Trego (23), holed out to cow corner off the bowling of Fabian Cowdrey, the result was as good as assured.

Matt Coles bagged two, and Ivan Thomas secured three for 31 as Somerset’s middle order committed suicide in the face of an overwhelming run rate.

Kent v Somerset Royal London One-Day Cup south group, at Canterbury.

Kent 231 for six after 30 overs. Somerset 136 all out after 24.2 overs. Kent won by 95 runs.

Kent 2pts. Somerset 0pts.

Picture supplied by David Annand.