SOME big-hitting late in the Northamptonshire innings by former Kent all-rounder Ben Phillips inspired the Steelbacks to a respectable total of 218 for seven in Spitfires day-night clash in Canterbury.

The tall right-hander hammered 44 from 26 balls, with two fours and three sixes, to become Northants' second top-scorer on a tricky St Lawrence pitch.

Only Usman Afzaal (47) survived for very long on a spin-friendly surface that helped the majority of Kent's injury-hit attack.

With no Amjad Khan, Martin Saggers or Matt Dennington, who all missed out through injury, Kent relied heavily on Ben Trott.

Possibly playing his final game for the county Trott, who will be out of contract at the end of the month, bowled Tim Roberts with his third ball of the night then, after a short rest, came back to have Jeff Cook caught at mid-on with the first ball of a new stint.

The military-medium pace of Matthew Walker accounted for Afzaal to a good catch by O'Brien who also stumped Tom Huggins off the same bowler.

Kent looked set to restrict their fellow-strugglers to a total of 175, but Big Ben's late hitting may yet prove vital.