Ben Martindale hit a career-best 101 despite Notts falling to an agonising final over defeat in Kent.

Martindale was the pick of the batsmen as his runs alongside another fifty from Kyle Verreynne saw Outlaws set a competitive total of 293.

But a middle-order partnership between Sam Northeast and Harry Finch was followed up by a quick-fire half-century from Chris Benjamin to hand Kent victory with four balls to spare.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Ben Martindale opened alongside Freddie McCann as the pair survived the opening onslaught with the former scoring freely.

McCann would depart in the tenth over, though, finding Bell-Drummond off the bowling of Matt Quinn, leaving Notts 41/1 after the powerplay.

Debutant Tayyab Tahir could only add six to the total as he chipped the ball back up to Ekansh Singh, bringing Haseeb Hameed to the middle.

Martindale continued to motor on, playing some fantastic shots which included an over of three boundaries, as he moved to a consecutive half-century. The skipper also looked in nice touch before he found Dawkins at mid-wicket in a soft dismissal which meant he had to depart for 23.

A huge partnership between Martindale and Verreynne would follow to put Outlaws into a decent position; quick running between the wickets and some impressive attacking shots would see the scoreboard continue to tick over.

Ben Martindale would then move to his maiden career century as he raised his bat aloft after an outstanding innings, moments before Kyle Verreynne would move to another half-century.

After Martindale fell for 101, the way he played was continued in Lyndon James and Kyle Verreynne who pushed Notts towards the 300 mark in the final overs.

Verreynne would fall first for 71 from 65 balls before James followed soon after while trying to hunt boundaries for 43.

It would see Notts end 293/9 and set a competitive total to defend.

James Hayes and Sam Wood set the tone with the ball quickly as Hayes made the first breakthrough inside ten overs, removing Dawkins for 6.

Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast steadied the ship following the early dismissal, but the former would fall just shy of his half-century after picking out Farhan Ahmed.

Northeast would then play his part in a mammoth partnership which moved Kent from 80/2 to 190/3 as Northeast and Finch added 115 for the third wicket and shifted momentum into the hosts’ favour.

Both seemed to be moving towards a century before Hayes removed Northeast with 15 overs remaining.

Kent would need 78 runs from the final ten overs, and Hatton-Lowe removed Finch for 88 in the 45th over, shifting momentum once again, this time in Notts’ favour.

Chris Benjamin was still at the crease and scoring freely despite Ekash Singh being removed cheaply by Hayes.

Benjamin would ultimately land the punishing blow, scoring 19 off the penultimate over, which included three boundaries and moving Kent into a near-unloseable position.

Stewart would hit the winning runs with four balls to spare to hand Kent victory.