Kent’s latest overseas player Jimmy Neesham was delighted to hit the ground running in his first outing for the Spitfires.

Neesham took 3-37 with the ball and claimed an impressive run out as Spitfires got off to a winning start in the NatWest T20 Blast against Essex Eagles at Beckenham on Sunday.

“When you come to a new team you want to do the basics right and put the ball in good areas,” said Neesham.

“If guys play good shots and get runs then you take it on the chin and move on.

“You go round the world and play for different teams so it’s become what you do really.

“You always want to perform strongly for a new team and show the fans that they’ve got a good one. Hopefully I can do that over the next couple of weeks.”

Neesham was trusted with bowling the final over of the Eagles’ innings and, after being hit for two boundaries by James Foster, he took three wickets in three balls – including a run out.

Foster was caught on the cover boundary, Neesham took a return catch in the leg side to remove Ashar Zaidi and then threw down the stumps to dismiss Paul Walter.

“The lads were saying It’s the old team hat-trick you talk about in club cricket wasn’t it,” added the 26-year-old.

“We had the wind going in that direction out to the big side so I knew if I took the pace off and made them hit good bowls I was likely to get a couple of wickets.

“I was delighted with the way we finished, to go off chasing that target we were pretty pleased.”

“T20 is one of those games where you have moments like that. It was a great crowd, a big turnout and it was good to put a show on for them.”