HAMPSHIRE captain James Vince made his highest T20 score to avenge his side's recent shock defeat against Kent – despite another stunning performance from Alex Blake.

Three weeks after his unbeaten 71 at The Ageas Bowl, Blake again remained undefeated - this time with a 25-ball 49 – as Kent made 183-5 in a match reduced to 18-overs-a-side due to rain.

But despite a six-hour coach journey to Canterbury, Vince was magnificent in reply, hitting an unbeaten 99 as Hampshire won by six wickets with a ball to spare.

Vince surpassed his epic 92 not out in last season’s quarter-final at Trent Bridge, hitting FIVE sixes during his 57-ball blitz.

His eight fours included an incredible scoop shot against Mitchell Claydon and his final six, over mid-wicket against former Hampshire teammate Matt Coles, took him into the nineties in a pulsating finish.

After winning the toss, Kent captain Sam Northeast, with whom Blake shared a match-winning 108 at the Ageas Bowl, contributed a 33-ball 54.

Fidel Edwards (2-41), playing his last match before returning home for the Caribbean Premier League, yorked Joe Denly in the second over But Kent reached 47-1 from the five-over powerplay before Yasir Arafat bowled Daniel Bell -Drummond at the beginning of an excellent sixth over.

Danny Briggs (1-37) bowled Fabian Cowdrey before Darren Stevens hit two sixes in a 17-ball 25. He lost Northeast, who hit Edwards to Chris Wood at long-on, before lofting Arafat to deep mid-off at the end of the 15th over.

But Blake blasted Hampshire for two more sixes, including one over cover against Arafat, who endured a similar mauling against the left-hander at The Ageas Bowl.

Hampshire responded as only they know how, but suffered a couple of early setback against Coles.

Determined to impress against his former county, Coles had Michael Carberry caught behind for three in the first over of Hampshire’s reply.

And after hitting his former teammate for his 16 runs from three balls, Jimmy Adams departed in similar fashion at the end of Coles’ next over.

Having helped Hampshire to 46-2 at the end of the powerplay, Owais Shah (18) was lbw to the medium pacer. At that point Hampshire needed 109 off the last ten overs.

It was a big ask but Vince and Sean Ervine (37 from 16 balls) shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 58 from 31 balls before the latter departed with 51 still needed from the last five overs. Not for the first time, Hampshire's captain held his nerve.