Kent Spitfires (191-5) lost to Surrey (195-6) by four wickets in T20 Blast at The Oval

Kent Spitfires were unable to defend their total of 191-5 in going down to South Group leaders Surrey in the Vitality Blast on Friday night at The Oval.

A full-house of 30,000 were treated to 25 sixes in all as Surrey raced to 195-6 with nine balls to spare in reply, posting their 10th win of the summer as Spitfires suffered their 10th defeat.

After being put in, Kent lost Joe Denly for five in the second over when all-rounder Aaron Hardie, Surrey’s overseas player replacement for the injured Kieron Pollard, struck with his third ball for the club to have the former England batsman caught off a skier at extra cover.

But, kick-started initially by Tawanda Muyeye - who later in that over superbly picked up a leg-stump ball and deposited it high over the deep square leg ropes for six - the second wicket stand with Jordan Cox added 75 in 6.3 overs as 24 also came off Hardie’s second over.

Muyeye pulled Hardie for six over long leg and guided the next ball behind backward point for four before Cox hit the Australian for two sixes, first flicked over deep square leg and then hammered to wide mid-wicket.

A risky second run to deep mid-wicket in the eighth over saw Muyeye (41) run out by Laurie Evans’ sprint to the ball, pick up and throw. Cox (54 off 31), after hitting Jamie Overton for three successive fours in the ninth over, fell to a good catch by Jason Roy running back at short third man five overs later, when he skied an attempted big hit at Overton.

By then Jack Leaning had gone for six, caught by keeper Jamie Smith sweeping at Dan Moriarty’s left-arm spin and Darren Stevens - back in the side as a batsman - kept Alex Blake company for a while before, on 13, skying Sunil Narine to Roy running around behind the bowler