ANOTHER poor batting display cost Gloucestershire as they suffered a 21-run defeat against Kent in the NatWest T20 Blast at Canterbury on Friday evening.

Set a modest 137 to win, Gloucestershire faltered to 115-9 to remain on zero points after three games.

Skipper Michael Klinger got the chase off to a steady start, taking the score to 46-1, but failed to make the big impact county fans have been waiting for this summer and became off-spinner Adam Riley’s (4-22) first victim when he was trapped lbw for 25.

Hamish Marshall top-scored in the innings for the third successive game in the competition with 26 off 30 balls but he also fell to Riley during a spell where Gloucestershire lost three wickets for six runs, and they never recovered from there with Australian international Doug Bollinger (2-15) securing Kent’s win.

Kent struggled to get going in their innings and they were reduced to 74-5 at one stage before Alex Blake’s 41 off 30 balls lifted them to 136-7.

Graeme McCarter and Benny Howell shone with the ball for Gloucestershire, taking 3-26 and 3-21 respectively.

Gloucestershire face Leicestershire in a County Championship Division Two game at Grace Road starting on Monday.