FRIENDS PROVIDENT t20, Canterbury:
Kent 165-9 (20 ovs) beat Gloucestershire 153 (19.2 ovs) by 12 runs
Match scorecard

Van Jaarsveld hits down the ground during his 59

Martin van Jaarsveld's fourth FP t20 half-century of the summer proved crucial as Kent held their nerve to beat Gloucestershire by 12 runs.

Van Jaarsveld (59) and Joe Denly (44) were the only batsmen to pass 15 as Kent posted 165-9 at Canterbury.

But that proved enough as the visitors were all out for 153 with four balls left, despite 40 from James Franklin.

Kent's fourth victory of the campaign lifted them off the bottom of the South Group at Gloucestershire's expense.

Yet neither side is likely to make the quarter-finals, with both trailing fourth-placed Hampshire by four points with only four games left.

It was a par-for-the-course score by Kent, who had looked set for a bigger total at 105-2.

But they fell away badly in the closing overs, losing 7-60 as David Payne claimed 3-25 and Jon Lewis 2-26.

Gloucestershire's run chase began badly when Will Porterfield turned a leg-stump ball from Azhar Mahmood to Denly at deep square-leg.

And from then on they lost wickets at regular intervals to fall short, including two in three balls to Sri Lankan wrist spinner Malinga Bandara, who finished with 3-27.

Gloucestershire director of cricket John Bracewell told BBC Gloucestershire:
"It's a matter of keeping the balance in all competitions. We have to give them all a decent crack.

"It's unsettling with a small squad because you're using the same players all the time. My biggest fear is somebody falling asleep at the wheel.

"They're all making improvements and getting smarter at what they're doing."

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