Skipper Sam Northeast continued his rich vein of NatWest T20 Blast form by scoring a stunning 90 as Kent overcame neighbours Essex by six-wickets to move up to second spot in the south group.

Man-of-the match Northeast plundered 12 fours and a six to overtake Gloucestershire’s Michael Klinger as the tournament’s leading run-getter as Kent reached 174 for victory with five balls to spare.

After his side’s Canterbury success, Northeast said: “It was a very satisfying chase, especially after we fell just short against Hampshire last week.

“To get back to winning ways was very important and no better place to do it than here.

“We play on some really good pitches here at Canterbury, we want to play an attacking style of cricket and these wickets are allowing our batters to do that.

“Daniel Bell-Drummond played a superb knock and got us off to a really good start, which we needed when chasing 170 odd.”  

Kent had set off in pursuit at an asking rate of 8.7 an over, but with only five on the board, Joe Denly (1) clipped a full ball from Reece Topley to Ryan ten Doeschate at mid-wicket to bring in-form Northeast to the middle.

The Kent skipper opened his account with a straight six off David Masters and Bell-Drummond doled out similar treatment against Graham Napier to raise Kent’s 50 after five overs.

Bell-Drummond reached his second T20 50 of the campaign from 33 balls with seven fours and a six as Kent reached 85-1 after 10 overs and the 100 in the 12th.

Northeast went past 50 for the fifth time in the competition from 33 balls, but the record second-wicket partnership in these matches worth 122 ended when Napier yorked Bell-Drummond for a completion-best 61.

Northeast clipped Shaun Tait for two boundaries to third man to move Kent ahead for the first time, only for Darren Stevens (11) to sky a top-edged paddle to long leg against Ravi Bopara’s gentle medium-pace.

With 19 needed from 12 balls, Northeast plundered 18 off Tait’s next five balls.

But with the scores level, he clipped the last ball of the penultimate over to mid-wicket to depart for a stunning 90 from 52 balls.

Alex Blake duly won it with a single from the very next delivery as the Spitfires returned to winning ways ahead of tonight’s meeting with Surrey at The Oval.

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