Paul Walter top-scored for the visitors with an unbeaten 47 as they reached 188 for six in reply to Kent’s 184 for four, scoring the winning runs with two balls to spare.

Kent’s best scorer was Sam Billings, who made 48 not out, and Zak Crawley, who made 40. Essex’s best bowling figures were one for 16 by Matt Critchley.

In what was dubbed “The Battle of The Bridge,” Kent won the toss and elected to bat, making one change from the side that lost to Somerset on Wednesday night, with Matt Quinn replacing Grant Stewart.

When Critchley dropped Zak Crawley for two at the start of the second over, Kent raced to 60 without loss at the end of the powerplay.

Daniel Bell-Drummond produced a succession of elegant cuts but he was bowled by Aron Nijjar for 31 and when Crawley was then lbw to Simon Harmer for 40 the scoring rate slowed.

Joe Denly was the third top order batter to get out after making a start, when he swiped Daniel Sams for six but he hit the next delivery almost vertically and was caught and bowled for 35.

Jack Leaning made just two when he hit Harmer to Critchley, but the 17th over, bowled by Harman, went for 19 and some violent hitting by George Linde saw him finish on 23 not out from 11 balls.

It looked a competitive total, but Essex took 17 from Denly’s opening over and Adam Rossington blasted 29 from 16 balls, until Klaassen made a mess of his stumps.

The visitors were 66 for one at the end of the powerplay, but lost Michael Pepper for six when he spooned Linde to Klaassen at point.

Buttleman then pulled Qais Ahmad to Crawley and Matt Milnes ripped out Critchley’s middle stump after a quickfire 18.

Sams was reprieved after an excruciating drop by Quinn when he was on one, but he added just two more to his score when he floated Klaassen to Leaning and the run rate climbed above ten for the first time.

With the noose tightening, Essex took 17 from the 16th over and 13 from the 17th, tilting the equation back in their favor.

At the start of the 18th over, Billings superbly ran out Tom Westley for 15, tossing down the stumps as he pursued a single, but Harmer then blasted consecutive fours off Quinn, leaving the Eagles requiring six from the final over.

Harmer, who finished with 21 not out from 11 balls, claimed five wickets in the first three balls, leaving Walter to smear Milnes for four runs to seal the victory.