Spitfires shoot down champs with thrilling opening day win

DANIEL Bell-Drummond topscored with 60 as Kent Spitfires began their Vitality Blast campaign with an exciting four-run win over reigning champions Gloucestershire in Bristol.

- By RICHARD LATHAM

The visitors posted an impressive 208 for three after losing the toss, Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye (42) sharing an opening stand of 98 before Zak Crawley (37) and Joe Denly (48 not out) accelerated the scoring in the second half of the innings.

In reply, the Gloucestershire managed 204 for seven, Ollie Price blasting a rapid 51, while Miles Hammond and Ben Charlesworth both made 38. Tom Rogers took two for 22 from four overs.

A light coloured pitch promised big totals and it proved a tough baptism for Gloucestershire's 20-year-old Aman Rao, signed from the South Asian Cricket Academy.

The 6ft 6in seamer's two overs at the start of the Kent innings went for 21, but were not without promise.

Bell-Drummond pulled an early six off Matt Taylor as he and Muyeye took the score to 94 off 10 overs.

They were parted when Gloucestershire skipper Jack Taylor bowled Bell-Drummond with a leg-spinner after the opener had hit six fours and two sixes.

Tom Smith's left arm spin accounted for Muyeye, caught at deep cover having faced 33 balls, and at 109 for two in the 13th over, Kent needed to rebuild.