Kent suffered a hard-fought three-wicket defeat to Gloucestershire on the final day of a thrilling Rothesay County Championship Division 2 match in Bristol on Monday.
They set 162 to win in a minimum of 57 overs and the home side made heavy weather of the chase as they were reduced to 57-4 and 138-7, Nathan Gilchrist claiming 4-43 to threaten a Kent comeback.
But Australian international Cameron Green posted a match-winning innings of 67 not out from 90 balls, including a six and six fours, as the hosts dug in to reach their target with 13.5 overs to spare.
Ben Charlesworth had earlier produced a crucial spell with the ball to set up Gloucestershire’s first home win in nearly three years. The right-arm seamer took three wickets in a 14-ball burst as Adam Hollioake’s team were dismissed for 253 inside 89 overs in their second innings.
Chris Benjamin and Grant Stewart shared a half-century partnership for the fifth wicket, only for the latter to fall to Charlesworth shortly before lunch and spark a collapse, in which the visitors lost their last five wickets for 20 runs in 10.5 overs.
Resuming on 135-4 – a slender lead of 43 runs – Kent batsmen Benjamin and Jack Leaning extended their defiant partnership to 82 in the face of a probing examination from Gloucestershire’s seamers.
Gloucestershire skipper Cameron Bancroft deployed a short mid-wicket and invited the batsmen to make a mistake. Leaning fell into the trap, attempting to force a ball from Josh Shaw (2-48) into the on-side and looping a catch up to Ollie Price to afford Gloucestershire the breakthrough they craved. He had contributed a patient 34 from 86 balls on the final morning.
Ahead by 88 runs, Kent were now pinning their hopes on Stewart and Benjamin mustering a repeat of the huge partnership that formed the basis of their first-innings total on day one.
Benjamin upheld his end of the bargain, going to a half-century from 129 deliveries. Rather more robust in his approach, Stewart played his natural game, taking on the seamers and scoring 41 at better than a run-a-ball to dominate a progressive stand of 53 runs.
That was the cue for Bancroft to throw the ball to Charlesworth, who effected a crucial double breakthrough shortly before lunch.
The Italian international fell dragging the ball onto his stumps and, when Charlesworth bowled Jaydn Denly for five soon after, Kent were 241-7 and in trouble.
The lead was 149 runs, but the new ball was two overs away and Gloucestershire sensed an opportunity to end their long wait for a home victory.
Before even the new ball could be taken, Charlesworth made a further intervention, as Jake Ball sent a leading edge to point where a full-length Miles Hammond took a startling catch on the run.
Having previously sent down a mere 33 overs and taken three wickets at an average of 47.3 this season, the 24-year-old all-rounder had doubled his tally in the space of six overs.
The rout continued after Gloucestershire took the new ball, Singh Dale (2-69) dismissing Kashif Ali lbw for three on his way to career-best match figures of 9-179.
Benjamin was last man out, edging Tom Price to second slip after he had made 58 from 149 balls.
If Gloucestershire believed their route to victory would be straightforward, they were made to think again, losing both openers inside three overs.
Charlesworth was brilliantly caught by Leaning at second slip while Ball (1-27) produced an excellent delivery to have Bancroft caught behind as the hosts slipped to 12-2. Gilchrist then held a return catch off his own bowling after squaring up Ollie Price to further reduce Gloucestershire to 37-3.
It was 57-4 soon afterwards, Hammond inexplicably playing at a wide delivery from Stewart (2-42) and nicking off to Tawanda Muyeye at first slip for 18.
Their nerves jangling, Gloucestershire then received a crucial let-off when the diving Leaning put down a sharp chance at second slip off the bowling of Kashif Ali (0-36) with Green on three.
Gloucestershire managed to reach the tea interval without further loss at 65-4, requiring 97 more to win in 38 overs.
A period of stability was called for and Green and James Bracey calmed any nerves, raising a 50-run partnership from 58 deliveries, and then accelerating as the ball softened.
Green hoisted Kashif over mid-wicket for an imposing six and mustered five fours on his way to a 71-ball half-century.
But Kent still fancied their chances when Gilchrist returned to take two wickets in as many balls, Bracey holing out to deep mid-wicket for 19 and Graeme van Buuren offering a catch behind to bag a pair as Gloucestershire slipped to 121-6 with 41 runs still needed.
Tom Price pursued a ball down the legside and was caught behind off the bowling of Stewart to set-up a tense finale.
But the indomitable Green and Zaman Akhter carried the home side over the line.
The home side banked 24 points to climb the table while Kent took six after suffering a third defeat in as many outings.
Kent will next be in red-ball action against Derbyshire from Friday.
