Key shines as champions Kent leave it late to see off Sussex in thriller

Chasing 138, Rob Key and Joe Denly gave the Spitfires an excellent start with Key in particular playing fluent strokes and showing confidence in going down the wicket for a drive in the earlier overs.

His 30 runs came from 29 balls and he hit six boundaries while Denly picked up singles and twos in giving support to his captain.

Hitting out: Kent opener Robert Key

It took 10 overs for the Sharks to break the opening stand of 68 and it came with the second bowling change when left-arm spinner Michael Yardy had Key held at mid-on from a lofted drive.

Denly went on to play his shot more freely and smacked Yardy over mid-wicket to hit and with a single off the next ball, he took his score to 40.

Dwayne Smith was brought back for a second spell and with his first ball he had Martin van Jaarsveld caught behind the stumps for seven and that was 92 for two in the 14th over.

In his following over, Smith trapped Justin Kemp lbw after the South African had driven the previous ball for six to long-on.

Darren Stevens top-edged his pull shot into his face in the 17th over off Luke Wright to retire hurt and the incoming batsman Azhar Mahmood got off the mark with a flicked four off Corey Collymore. Two balls later the Pakistani lofted him over long-on for six to take the total to 125 for three after 18 overs.

His stroke play continued which took him to 19 not out from only 10 balls bringing him the man of the match award, while Denly brought up his half century from 54 balls before Collymore bowled him with three balls remaining. Finally, with two runs needed from two balls it was four byes that took the Spitfires to the winning total.

Gottim: Yasir Arafat celebrates the wicket of Luke Wright with Rob Key

Earlier, after putting the Sharks in to bat the Spitfires were given a great start with Yasir Arafat having Matthew Prior edge being the stumps to Arafat's first ball and three balls later Wright's lofted cut shot went into the hands of backward point.

There was not much recovery as after the addition of just 22 runs the third wicket fell. It came with Ryan McLaren replacing Arafat and having Murray Goodwin caught superbly off cover.

It was left to the Shark's new signing, West Indian Smith who joined the county only on Monday and Chris Adams the captain to revive the innings.

Smith struck the first of five sixes of the innings when he drove McLaren over cover and later struck a six over mid-on.

Adams helped himself to three sixes, the last of which was hit upon reaching his half century, off McLaren, before the next ball had him caught at long-on. His explosive innings of 57 came from 37 balls and he had taken the total to 111 for five in the 14th over.

Meanwhile he had lost his partner Smith who skied his drive to mid-on for 28 from 22 balls.

There was little to come from the rest of the batsmen who did not even reach double figures with some outstanding bowling from Arafat who finished with four for 17 while McLaren and James Tredwell claimed two wickets apiece.