Rob Key and Wahab Riaz celebrate the latter's wicket haul against Gloucestershire Picture: Barry Goodwin

Azhar Mahmood and Wahab Riaz inspired Kent Spitfires to an emphatic eight-wicket Friends Life t20 win over Gloucestershire Gladiators with seven balls to spare at Beckenham.

Mahmood was the match-winner with a superb unbeaten 106, including 13 fours and three sixes, adding 135 in only 13 overs with Joe Denly (50), following the early loss of captain Rob Key.

Denly holed out in the deep off ex-Kent favourite Muttiah Muralitharan, with 21 still needed but Mahmood, who finished six short of Andrew Symonds’ county best 112 – against Middlesex at Maidstone in 2004 – and Darren Stevens saw Kent home to a second successive South Group win.

Riaz had a home debut to remember with five wickets in seven balls, including a hat-trick.

It was only the second by a Kent player – Ryan McLaren in the 2007 final also against Gloucestershire was the other – as the visitors plunged from 151-5 to 166 all out.

He dismissed Chris Taylor, Ed Young and Richard Coughtrie and then in his next over sent back skipper Alex Gidman and David Payne in successive deliveries, before ex-Kent favourite Muttiah Muralitharan survived the second hat-trick, only to be run-out off the last ball.

Gloucester won the toss and made a quickfire start thanks to openers Hamish Marshall (47) and Kevin O’Brien (34) who hit 77 in the first nine over overs.

Adam Ball made the breakthrough, dismissing O,Brien, James Tredwell claimed Marshall and Kane Williamson and Stevens ran out Ian Cockbain before Riaz struck to turn the game Spitfires’ way.