SUMMER sunshine has our Kent columnist BRAD PINARD smiling again as the heatwave has coincided with a welcome upturn in fortunes for the Spitfires.

THE uncharacteristic summer heatwave has clearly brought out the best in Kent Spitfires, who now have two wins from the last three games.

Nobody in the entire county would have seen this turn of form coming after constant misery in 2013 saw the Spitfires languishing at the foot of both the County Championship and the T20 South Group.

Last week I had nothing but praise for the experienced heads in the Kent squad who steered them to their first victory in the Championship over Gloucestershire.

And it was the likes of Rob Key, Brendan Nash and captain James Tredwell who did the business once again by securing a draw with high-flying Hampshire.

A win and a draw from the past two games sees Kent rise to a heady seventh and a top four finish in Division Two is now in sight if the current form continues.

But that isn’t the main news of the week, oh no.

Kent Spitfires actually won a Twenty20 game.

Re-read the last sentence and take it in.

Not only did a youthful looking side get their first win at the eighth attempt, they beat top of the table Hampshire, who had not lost in their past 16 games in the shortest format.

What is even more shocking is that the bowlers were for once to thank.

Overseas Vernon Phillander and in-form Mitchell Claydon were the stars of the show and performed some stunning death bowling to get the Spitfires over the line.

Cue wild celebrations despite still being bottom of the table.

Finally Tredwell and coach Jimmy Adams seem to have installed some fight in the team, with the youngsters beginning to find some form and the experienced pros leading by example.

I am not getting carried away after three games without a defeat.

However, I am getting carried away with the squad which is being assembled at Canterbury.

The trust put in youngsters is inspiring and the balance of the squad I was constantly moaning about for the past two months seems to have been found.

While Key, Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones only have a couple of seasons left at the top level, you can see a number of young players who just might be able to replace them in the coming years.

Kent have the chance to move off of the bottom of the T20 south group when they take on Sussex tomorrow, opponents who are currently level on points with the Spitfires.

A trip to the Oval on Friday evening sees another T20 clash with Surrey in what could continue a splendid fortnight for Kent.

Long may the heatwave continue!

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