Kent 314 for 8 (Bell-Drummond 100) beat Somerset 313 for 9 (Goldsworthy 87, Perera 75, Thomas 60, Milnes 3-53) by two wickets

Kent chose to bowl and removed Archie Vaughan early when Keith Dudgeon had him caught behind for 5, but Somerset responded with three substantial partnerships.

Tom Lammonby looked well set on 42, only to pull Stewart to Singh on the square leg boundary, while Perera eased past 50 before he was caught and bowled off a rank full toss from Denly.

Thomas played and missed thrice before getting his eye in, joining Goldsworthy for a stand of 94 that ended when the latter was caught by Milnes at long-off off Dudgeon. Thereafter, Kent took wickets regularly to at least restrict the visitors to a manageable target.

Jonny Connell went for 5, hitting Matt Parkinson to Ben Dawkins and Milnes got Thomas for 60, caught by Harry Finch long-off, before, in his final ever over, Denly claimed his second wicket when Church hit him to Finch for a golden duck, although James Theedom hit the last ball of the innings for four.

Kent were 64 without loss when Dawkins, who had just hit Goldsworthy for six, offered him a sharp return catch and was out for 30.

Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast put on 71 for the second wicket, but that latter was controversially out for 18 by the square leg umpire, officially stumped, although replays suggested he never left his crease.

Kent wobbled after Bell-Drummond squeezed a single off Vaughan to reach three figures, only to sky Josh Shaw to Vaughan without adding to his score.

When Finch hit Vaughan to Theedom long-off, it brought Denly to the crease. He was given a guard of honour by the Somerset players and the stage was could hardly have been set any better, with Kent still needing 129 to win.

Chris Benjamin went for 29, caught behind off Theedom, however and Denly followed when he lofted Theedom to Goldsworthy, before leaving the field to a standing ovation.

Singh reignited Kent’s hopes with a brilliant 40 off 20, only to hit Shaw to Goldsworthy, leaving Kent needing 35 from 32. Somerset were favourites again when Goldsworthy bowled Dudgeon for a duck, but with 10 needed off the last two, Stewart hit Shaw for successive fours before driving two to secure a memorable win.