Riaz shines while Essex are thrashed

Two Pakistanis lit up Beckenham last night to ensure Kent's recent mini-revival continued and Gloucestershire's gloomy Twenty20 campaign hit a new low.

Wahab Riaz, one of two Kent overseas signings for this competition, took five wickets in seven balls – including a hat-trick – before Azhar Mahmood struck a century to secure an eight-wicket win for the home side. Joe Denly also hit 50 as Gloucestershire suffered a fifth defeat in this year's competition.

Mahmood's was not the only ton of the evening: Marcus Tresc-othick's 108, which included five sixes, was the mainstay of Somerset's mammoth 225 at Chelmsford. James Hildreth also struck 64 as the West County side put together a strong response to their defeat at Hove the previous night.

Essex's reaction was utterly feeble. With the New Zealander Scott Styris unable to bat, they were dismissed for just 82 – securing in the process a 143-run defeat, a record loss in this competition.