Joe Denly lit up the Kia Oval with a hundred and a hat-trick as Kent Spitfires beat Surrey by six runs in their Vitality Blast opener.

In front of a crowd of 23,291, Denly made 102 from 63 balls to help the Spitfires to 173 for six before he went on to make another decisive contribution.

Surrey looked set for a successful chase as they reached 135 for three before Denly took the wickets of Rikki Clarke, Jamie Smith and Matt Pillans to change the course of the game.

After Denly’s heroics Surrey struggled and were eventually bowled out for 167 with seven balls unused and Ben Foakes stranded on 75 not out.

Dan Christian struck a century in 37 balls as Notts Outlaws got off the mark at the second attempt with a 58-run win at Northamptonshire.

Christian’s hundred, which included seven fours and eight sixes, was the
joint-seventh fastest in the history of the format and the second-fastest in the
domestic game.

His brutal hitting saw Notts rack up 219 for six – equalling the highest T20
total at Wantage Road only set on Wednesday – and despite Ben Duckett’s 88 from 45 balls, Northants were bowled out for 161.

Worcestershire followed up their last-over win over Lancashire with another impressive performance as they dispatched local rivals Birmingham Bears by four runs at New Road.

The in-form Sam Hain hit an excellent 70 off 44 balls for the Bears but it was not quite enough to chase down Worcestershire’s total of 192 for seven.

Warwickshire v Derbyshire – Royal London One Day Cup – Edgbaston
Sam Hain’s 70 was not quite enough for Birmingham Bears (David Davies/PA)

Pat Brown and Ed Barnard picked up three wickets apiece for the Rapids but a
last-wicket stand of 36 between Bears duo Tim Ambrose (23 not out) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (15no) meant the result was in doubt to the final delivery.

Liam Livingstone starred as Lancashire bounced back from their loss to Worcestershire with a nine-wicket win over Derbyshire at Derby.

Lancashire restricted the Falcons to 161 for four before the visitors set about the home attack,  Livingstone hitting a brilliant century off 49 balls as the visitors reached their target with 33 balls to spare.

Imran Tahir took four for 14 from four overs as Durham beat Leicestershire by 33 runs at Grace Road.

The Pakistan-born South African leg-spinner was the main architect of a Leicestershire collapse from 83 for two to 120 all out in 18.3 overs, responding to Durham’s 153 for seven.

Somerset started their campaign in style with a rousing six-wicket win over arch-rivals Gloucestershire at Taunton.

Ryan Higgins led the way with 55 off 35 balls as Gloucestershire posted 188 for six, but a blistering second-wicket stand of 90 between Steve Davies (60) and Peter Trego (72 not out) laid the foundation for a Somerset win with 19 balls to spare.

Just one week after lifting the Royal London One-Day Cup Hampshire suffered a humiliating 63-run defeat to Glamorgan at the Ageas Bowl.

Hampshire v Kent – Royal London One Day Cup – Final – Lord’s
Hampshire were humiliated just one week after their One-Day Cup success (Steven Paston/PA)

Set 169 to win on a good wicket after winning the toss and electing to bowl, James Vince’s side were skittled for just 105 with Andrew Salter taking three for 34 in what proved Glamorgan’s biggest ever format win by runs.

In the evening’s other game, Simon Harmer scored four off the penultimate ball as Essex squeezed past Middlesex by three wickets at Chelmsford.

Essex left it late in their response to Middlesex’s 179 for six and required eight to win off from the final over with Harmer ultimately coming up with the goods.