Surrey, the leaders of the South Group, maintained their composure to secure a five-run victory against Kent Spitfires in a rain-interrupted Vitality Blast match at the Kia Oval.
Surrey, who were sent in to bat with a reshuffled line-up, managed to score 103 for 5 from 10 overs after a delayed start of two hours and 25 minutes.
As Kent prepared to chase, more rain arrived, reducing their target to 87 runs from eight overs according to Duckworth/Lewis calculations.
Despite Feroze Khushi's late surge, which saw him score 35, and Sam Billings' impressive sweep for six off Reece Topley in an over that yielded 20 runs and included another six from Khushi, Kent fell short, finishing at 81 for 3.
This victory marked Surrey's seventh win in ten games, while Kent, having lost seven of their first ten group matches, now faces an uphill battle to secure a top-four spot and a quarter-final place.
Several critical moments defined this high-paced match. One such moment was a brilliant fourth over by leg-spinner Cameron Steel, who conceded only four runs and bowled the dangerous Tawanda Muyeye for 22.
Muyeye had previously hit Dan Worrall for a four and a six in the second over, but Jordan Clark restricted Kent to six runs in the third over. Steel's subsequent fine over left Kent at 29 for two, halfway through their innings.
Khushi's powerful six off Chris Jordan and Billings' four off Jordan kept Kent's hopes alive. However, Khushi's dismissal at the end of the penultimate over, caught by Steel at long on, shifted the momentum back to Surrey, leaving Kent needing 17 runs from the final over.
Jordan's opening no-ball of the last over resulted in a leg bye, but Tom Rogers could only manage a yorker from the free hit. Despite cutting the next ball for four, Rogers and Billings (14 not out) couldn't find the boundary again, as Jordan's precise bowling under pressure secured the win.
Another pivotal moment occurred at the end of Surrey's innings. With Surrey at 94 for five with one ball remaining, Grant Stewart's waist-high no-ball was swung for six by Ben Geddes. An additional ball led to a bye, resulting in 19 runs from the over, which had begun with Jordan's four and ended with Clark's catch at long off for seven.
Surrey's total included five sixes, with Laurie Evans pulling Nathan Gilchrist and Marcus O'Riordan for the first two. Evans, who replaced Ryan Patel after his early dismissal, scored a brisk 25 before hitting O'Riordan to long off. Dom Sibley muscled Matt Parkinson for a six in his 20, ending with a catch at deep mid-wicket off Joey Evison. Jordan hit a six off the medium pacer, and Rory Burns swept Gilchrist for another maximum. Jordan's mishit to mid-off ended his innings at 14, while Burns remained unbeaten at 11, alongside Geddes, who was not out on seven, leading Surrey to a defendable total.
In Kent's reply, Daniel Bell-Drummond was caught for a duck on the second ball, hitting Topley to deep square leg where 19-year-old debutant Ollie Sykes took the catch.