Kent Spitfires (213-6) beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks (210 all out) by four wickets in Royal London One-Day Cup

More Ben Compton brilliance led Kent Spitfires back to winning ways in the Royal London One-Day Cup with a four-wicket success over Northants on Sunday.

The opener’s 87 proved a match-winning one in Kent’s pursuit, with the 28-year-old now having scored three half-centuries in five matches in this format, as the Spitfires tasted victory after three straight defeats.

Northants won the toss in lovely conditions at The Spitfire Ground in Canterbury and elected to bat first.

Openers Emilio Gay (49) and Ricardo Vasconcelos (31) helped them reach 59-0 before the former was bowled by spinner Hamid Qadri in the ninth over.

Away captain Will Young added 20 to their total but was caught behind by Ollie Robinson off the bowling of opposite number Joe Denly.

At this stage, 90-2 quickly became 132-6.

Qadri (4-36) did most of the damage - even running out Rob Keogh for 11 as well as taking a further three wickets - before the Steelbacks had even reached the halfway stage in their innings.

Brandon Glover and Ben Sanderson, both with 17, alongside James Sales (23) then helped the visitors reach 210 all out in the 47th over. Their total inning included 16 extras.

Spin had done the trick for the Spitfires, though.

Denly (2-41) and Tawanda Muyeye (1-17) were supported by a wicket apiece from all-rounder Joey Evison - who ended with figures of 1-4 from just two overs - and bowler Nathan Gilchrist (1-34).

The Spitfires made a bright start in reply and had raced to 30-1 at the start of the sixth over, only for opener Muyeye to be caught by Young at first slip at the second attempt off opening bowler Nathan Buck for a 17-ball 22.

Buck (2-38) got his second in the same over, beating Robinson’s inside edge with the 23-year-old only having added