Superb centuries for Joey Evison and Ben Compton helped champions Kent recover from early strife and later survive a Matthew Revis hat-trick to get their Metro Bank One-Day Cup title defence off to a winning start against Yorkshire at soggy Scarborough.

The Spitfires, having slipped to 49 for four after 15 overs after being inserted, posted 282 for nine before a trio of rain delays revised the home target to 261 in 43 overs, 235 in 35 and finally 181 in 24. 

Kent only won this one by two runs on Duckworth Lewis Stern, owing to late drama. After the third delay, Yorkshire resumed on 53 for two after 11 overs and raced to 117 for four after 17, only for more rain to leave them three runs short of a winning target.

Ben Coad struck three times with the new ball in helpful conditions for Yorkshire, bowling his 10 overs straight through for three for 16. 

But Evison and opener Compton played contrasting innings – 136 off 106 balls and 103 off 137 – to share Kent’s List A record 219 inside 33 overs for the fifth wicket. All-rounder Revis then claimed a hat-trick as five wickets fell in the last 15 balls of the visiting innings.

Evison, 21, was the player of the match in last season’s final win over Lancashire at Trent Bridge with 97 and two wickets, and he counter-attacked here to push on from 84 for four after 25 overs. 

Having offered a tough chance to diving Dom Bess at midwicket on nought off Dom Leech, he hit three of seven sixes to leg, including one over wide long-leg off Ben Mike to reach his hundred.

Excellent Coad had opener Marcus O’Riordan caught at first slip and former team-mate Jack Leaning and then Harry Finch both caught behind on a nibbling pitch. George Hill, who also bowled his 10 overs straight, claimed the other early wicket. 

Left-hander Compton clipped the only boundary which Coad conceded but was in rebuild mode. 

Evison then whipped a six off Coad to begin the counter-attack. 

And by the time they both reached fifties, Kent were 143 for four in the 34th over.

Having regained a foothold in the innings, Compton then increased his tempo and was strong through the off-side en-route to his third career century off 135 balls.

But Evison had overtaken him in the early eighties and raced through the nineties to reach his second career ton first – reached off 84 balls (216 for four in the 42nd over). 

But, with 300 on the cards, Revis limited the damage by getting James Bazley and Grant Stewart caught at deep square-leg and Hami Qadri bowled in the penultimate over.

Five wickets fell in the last 15 balls, including Evison and Compton, as Yorkshire’s director of cricket Darren Gough watched on. He had taken two of the previous four List A hat-tricks for the county.

After mid-innings rain, Gough saw Yorkshire lose Fin Bean to Australian debutant Bazley’s seam to the fifth ball of their chase, Qadri taking a smart catch at point. 

But the Vikings, after a further brief stoppage, were recovering through wicketkeeper opener Harry Duke and his captain Shan Masood, who put on 49 to take the score to 52 for one after 10 overs. 

Masood, back from Pakistan duty, was playing confidently for 31, however he was run out by an Evison direct hit at the non-striker’s end from mid-on with the first ball of the 11th over. 

More rain came almost immediately at 53 for two, leaving Yorkshire needing 10 an over upon the resumption.With the threat of more rain to come, Hill crashed the lion’s share of 21 off a Matthew Parkinson over, only to fall caught behind for 35 off Bazley to leave Yorkshire narrowly short.

Yorkshire all-rounder Matthew Revis said: 

“I didn’t really expect to get a hat-trick, more so in white ball cricket than red. But I’m happy. James Wharton did well to take two good catches, and then I just tried to bowl the last one straight. I don’t think I’ve had a hat-trick before in any cricket. It’s a special feeling.

“It’s just a bit frustrating with what’s happened at the end. Going into the chase, we were confident. Joey Evison showed that it’s a good pitch, and if you play good shots you’ll get rewarded.

“When the rain came, it was about analysing what we had to do next. When Hilly and Frainey went at it, we had a real belief we were going to get over the line. We were ahead of the DLS for a few overs, but it just wasn’t to be.”

Kent’s interim head coach Simon Cook said: 

“I actually thought we were going to go back on for one more over at the end there. It was a bit tighter than we’d have wanted.

“You look at where we were at, 49-4, I thought Joey and Ben navigated that passage of play really well. Ben, in particular, through the first 15-20 overs was outstanding. He brought his four-day game into the one-day game for a period and helped Joey get a platform. Then you saw at the back end how destructive Joey can be once he’s in. 

“Jack Leaning throwing the ball to James Bazley in the last over before we came off, knowing we were behind DLS and needed a wicket, and Harry Finch taking that catch, it got us over the line. “It can be those sorts of things which get you into the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Being champions in that way makes a difference because you’re thinking positively.”