Kent Spitfires produced a dramatic fightback to snatch a narrow seven run win over Sussex Sharks in the NatWest T20 Blast opener at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, on Friday night.

The hosts produced an accomplished display with the bat to post 185 from their 20 overs, although the visitors looked favourites to win, staying ahead of the required run-rate with wickets in hand until late in the reply.

However in the end Mitch Claydon struck twice in successive balls in the penultimate over, which went for just four runs, and David Griffiths limited the visitors to 10 from the final six balls when they needed 18 to win.

Sussex were 36-4 in the final five overs having been ahead of the required run-rate for much of their innings.

James Tredwell got Luke Wright to hole out to Alex Blake for a 16-ball stay which yielded 36 runs to make it 81/1 before eight overs had been bowled.

Wright's fellow opener Chris Nash reached his 50 in 37 balls with nine fours and made it to 61 before seeing his stumps rearranged by Matt Coles to leave the visitors on 112/2 with less than eight overs remaining, though still on course.

Tredwell's spell, which yielded 1-32 from 4 overs, and that of Fabian Cowdrey at the other end did quell the run-rate, however the visitors always looked on course to reach their target with wickets to spare.

Mahela Jayawardene looked well set on 39 but attempting to pull Matt Coles for a second six, he could only find Joe Denly on the rope to leave it 150/3 with 20 balls left and 36 runs still needed.

However the runs began to dry up and some smart fielding and tight bowling gave the home fans hope.

Matt Machan was run-out for one to end the 18th over, with the Sharks having six wickets left and 22 runs to get.

However Claydon (2-29) had Ben Brown and Will Beer caught by Sam Billings and Fabian Cowdrey in the next over, though could not secure a hat-trick.

Earlier Kent won the toss and chose to bat, though Daniel Bell-Drummond was the first to go in the Kent innings, nicking the second ball of Ollie Robinson’s opening over to keeper Ben Brown to leave Kent 11/1 from eight balls.

Joe Denly and Sam Northeast added 64 runs in 6.3 overs before Denly was trapped LBW by Michael Yardy for 37 from 24 balls to leave Kent 75/2.

Sam Billings hit the ground running and then hit 18 in four Chris Nash deliveries with his new bat, however was fortunate to see Mahele Jayawardene juggle and drop a catch after he glanced Will Beer away to start the next over.

The very next ball however Northeast mistimed a sweep into the sky with Yardy rushing in to take the catch on his knees to make it 118/3 in the 12th over.

Darren Stevens joined Billings but only scored two singles before sending one down the throat of former King's School, Canterbury, pupil Robinson on the long-off boundary to leave Kent 130/4 with six overs remaining.

Robinson returned to the attack and bowled Billings for 46 from 28 balls soon after, leaving Kent 134/5 with 30 balls remaining.

It was 147/6 when Alex Blake tried his second big six, only pulling Robinson to Chris Liddle on the boundary for 12, with the 21-year-old, who played for Kent from under-13 all the way through to 2nd XI cricket, finishing with 3-35 from his four overs.

Margate-born Robinson was back in the action moments later when he held a routine catch after Matt Coles mistimes one off Chris Liddle for nought to make it 155/7.

Fabian Cowdrey made 24 from 12 balls but missed a straight one from Steve Magoffin to find himself bowled to leave the score 174/8 with eight balls to come.

There was still time for James Tredwell to flash a streaky boundary before being caught superbly on the run by Beer, while Claydon slapped a late nine not out to steer the hosts to 185/9.