Joe Denly scores 73 not out as Kent Spitfires (228-3) beat Middlesex (215-7) by 13 runs at Lord’s in T20 Blast

Kent Spitfires scored their fourth-highest total in T20 cricket to record a 13-run win over Middlesex at Lord’s in the Vitality Blast on Friday night.

With captain Sam Billings back in the side, having been left out of the County Championship beaten by Surrey at Canterbury earlier in the week, Spitfires posted 228-3 in their 20 overs.

Max Holden hit an unbeaten century in reply but Middlesex fell short of victory on 215-7 and remain rooted to the foot of the table.

Middlesex conceded 24 extras, with neither of their main seamers able to complete a full four overs. Tom Helm was withdrawn for bowling too many deliveries above waist height and Blake Cullen limped off injured.

Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Spitfires made quick progress as opening pair Tawanda Muyeye and Daniel Bell-Drummond shared a partnership of 88 - their fourth in excess of 50 in the last five games.

Bell-Drummond, who called for a change of bat in the third over, immediately confirmed his new selection to be a good one by dispatching his next two deliveries from Cullen for six and four.

Muyeye took longer to get into his stride, slicing Martin Andersson over gully for his first boundary, but he followed that up with a straight drive over the rope as Kent powered along at around 10 an over.

Having been caught at backward point off a Cullen no-ball, Muyeye failed to capitalise and skied to deep midwicket later in the same over for 38 (88-1 in the ninth), but his replacement Joe Denly proceeded to find the gaps with expertise.

Bell-Drummond thumped Luke Hollman to the fence to bring up his half-century, although he missed the chance to convert that into a ton when Cullen slanted one back into him and Helm took a diving catch at point to remove him