HAMPSHIRE Hawks star Liam Dawson admitted they do not want to leave it as late again - but described as "a relief" their win over Kent Spitfires.

The Utilita Bowl side recorded their first success of the T20 Blast season on the second attempt, after a defeat against Surrey on Friday.

Sixes from James Fuller - three in a row, Benny Howell and Dawson with the penultimate ball of the final over snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Hampshire won by three wickets as they chased the target of 165 set by the Spitfires, who saw nine wickets fall in their 20 overs.

Speaking after the match, Dawson said: "It was a very good game of cricket.

"We probably weren't at our best today again but we are happy to get our first T20 win of the summer.

“We were quite a way behind so Foz hitting those three sixes changed the whole momentum of the game.

"I think if we're honest, we probably left it a little bit too late today. We let the run rate build a bit too much on a big ground where it is hard to score at 12 an over.

“Howell’s six was a massive boundary. With Fuller and Howell, we've got some very strong power hitters there."

Dawson continued: "We know that we can catch up if we need to, but ideally we don't want to leave it that late again.

“I had a rough idea what he was going to do – bowl to the longer side into the pitch – and thankfully I connected with it and it managed to go for six.

"There was relief but I knew I have three balls to hit a boundary to win the game. I executed it well.

“It’s nice to win. We usually leave it a little late to get on the board and we’ve got a few days off before heading to Bristol and Somerset.

"If we win one of them it would be good, if we win two it would be excellent.”

Kent bowler Joey Evsion, who took his second-best T20 figures with three for 31, admitted: "It's pretty gutting.

"We’re pretty devastated, actually. We felt like it all came down to the death overs for both sides. I think we were 40 for 6 in the death period, and they got 60-plus runs.

“I felt we were right in it, right until the very end. We controlled the game really nicely. To keep them under 45 in the powerplay, was a great effort on a really nice batting wicket. But to come out on the wrong side of it, it's not a nice feeling.

“Fuller and Benny Howell batted well, and Joe Weatherley batted superbly. We controlled the game, and it all happened in the last four or five overs."