Phil Salt leads Sussex win with maiden ton, Matt Renshaw century in vain

Philip Salt's maiden List A hundred powered unbeaten Sussex to a seven-wicket victory and inflicted a third straight Royal London Cup defeat on Kent at Beckenham.

Spitfires, last summer's beaten one-day finalists, underachieved with the bat on a decent pitch at the New County Ground and were blown away by the Sussex batting as Salt's unbeaten 137 eased the Sharks to victory with 10 overs to spare.

With a host of key players injured or unavailable, Kent were roundly out-played in all departments and now seem unlikely to qualify for the knock-out stages, although overseas recruit Matt Renshaw's century was a highlight for the home side.

Chasing 299 for victory, Sharks openers Luke Wright and Salt made a good head of steam in adding 44, including 22 in the only three overs of the game sent down by opening bowler Fred Klaassen. The Dutchman, who had earlier complained of feeling unwell, was replaced by Matt Milnes whose first delivery was skied to extra cover by Salt, only for Zak Crawley to spill a juggled chance at the third attempt.

Darren Stevens struck with his first delivery of the 10th over, which Wright lofted to mid-off, bringing in Laurie Evans to get off the mark with two rasping cover drives to the ropes. Stevens later went off with a side strain.

Salt straight drove Alex Blake for six to raise the Sussex hundred but Evans went for 46 after holing out to mid-off from a Milnes delivery.

Harry Finch joined with Salt to take the game from Kent's grasp, Finch marched to a 46-ball 50 while Salt posted his maiden List A century with seven fours and five sixes as the duo added 171 in 20 overs. Salt posted a 90-ball hundred before Finch fell for an eye-catching 89 from 68 balls with his side only seven runs short of the target.

Batting first after acting skipper Adam Rouse won the toss, Kent openers Crawley and Sean Dickson added 60 before leg-spinner Will Beer struck with his second ball, snaring Crawley leg before on the back foot.

Renshaw showed Beer scant regard with a back-foot drive for four and a six that sailed over long-on to hit a spectator flush on the head. As Renshaw changed his bat, so the unfortunate boundary-line supporter was taken to hospital for treatment to his gashed scalp.

In Beer's next over, Dickson was caught behind cutting, but Renshaw and Ollie Robinson regrouped by taking 17 off a Chris Jordan over as Renshaw cantered to a 48-ball 50, his first in Kent colours, with five fours and two sixes.

Kent's third-wicket partners raised the 200 by the 32nd over but Sharks' left-arm seamer George Garton was rewarded for pegging back the run rate when Robinson turned a length ball to mid-wicket to depart four shy of his maiden List A 50 and end a partnership worth 121.

Blake's innings lasted seven balls before the impressive Garton plucked out middle stump with a yorker, then Garton had Rouse caught at mid-wicket off a mistimed pull to finish with three for 42.

With four to his name, Stevens perished after a mid-pitch mix-up saw him run out by Briggs's direct underarm hit from cover, yet Renshaw - despite struggling with back spasms and losing his timing - made it through to his century from 105 balls before departing lbw for 109 when aiming a reverse sweep against Briggs.

Kent succumbed with two balls of the final over remaining.