Sussex Sharks lost back to back games for the first time this season in the Friends Provident t20 as they were beaten by 27 runs by Kent at Hove.

The Sharks lost the toss and were straight on the back foot as Rob Key and Joe Denly put on 90 for the first wicket inside the opening 11 overs.

Denly was run out for 38 by Yasir Arafat but it did not halt Kent's momentum as Martin van Jaarsveld joined Key to put on an unbeaten 104 together to set a daunting target of 194-1.

Key finished two short of his century while van Jaarsveld was unbeaten on 53.

Sussex lost Ed Joyce and Murray Goodwin early to put a dent in their hopes before Chris Nash and Matt Prior put on 45 for the fourth wicket to keep them in the game.

Prior was caught on the boundary for 44 and Nash followed two overs later in the same fashion to seemingly end Sussex's chances.

Andrew Hodd and Joe Gatting both hit two sixes to keep the game alive but the Sharks finished 27 runs short on 167-9.