Kent Spitfires (190-5) lost to Gloucestershire (195-4) by five runs in T20 Blast at Canterbury

Kent Spitfires produced a much-improved batting effort but fell just short of victory against Gloucestershire in the Vitality Blast at Canterbury on Tuesday night.

Spitfires won the toss and elected to bowl first but half-centuries from Ian Cockbain and Glenn Phillips saw Gloucestershire post 195-4.

Jordan Cox, Alex Blake, Sam Billings and then Jack Leaning all contributed but Spitfires had just too much to do at the death.

Leaning (1-17) had opened the bowling and he struck in the first over to remove Miles Hammond for four, after Tawanda Muyeye took a steepling catch.

Chris Dent and Cockbain took Gloucestershire to 49-1 after the powerplay and although Qais Ahmad’s next over went for just three, debutant Jas Singh’s first over went for 26 as he never recovered from a no ball with his first delivery, before Dent hit a four and six, and Cockbain then hit him for successive sixes.

Dent (62) holed out to Qais (1-27) in the next over and was caught at long on by Alex Blake for 40, but it did little to arrest the visitors’ momentum. Cockbain (64) smashed Qais back over his head for four to pass 50, before finally falling when he hit Matt Milnes to Blake at long off.

When Matt Quinn went off injured after five balls of the 18th over, he was replaced by Joe Denly (1-16), who immediately bowled Jack Taylor for 12.

Phillips was dropped by Blake at the start of the 19th and he hit Milnes’ next delivery, a full toss, for six to reach his half-century.

Grant Stewart (0-30) bowled the final over for six, ensuring Gloucestershire didn't reach 200.

Kent kept up with the run rate for the first three overs of the chase, but when Josh Shaw had Tawanda Muyeye caught at deep square by Ryan Higgins for 11.

Denly (31) was caught by a diving