Kent captain Daniel Bell-Drummond kept his side’s Metro Bank One Day Cup hopes alive with an unbeaten century in a six-wicket win over Group A leaders Leicestershire Foxes.

Bell-Drummond scored 133 not out as Kent coasted home with two-and-a-half overs remaining after Leicestershire had posted 261 for 7, thanks largely to a partnership of 98 between Hamza Shaikh and Ben Green, who made 93 and 57 not out respectively, but they never seriously threatened to take enough wickets to make things interesting.

After choosing to bat, Leicestershire struggled early on. Rishi Patel was caught behind off Grant Stewart for 18, before Tom Scriven skied Joey Evison to Stewart for 6.

Matt Parkinson then got Stephen Eskinazi and Nick Kelly in the space of three balls, both stumped by Chris Benjamin, the former for 26, the latter without scoring.

Tawanda Muyeye got Ben Cox for 20, Harry Finch diving forwards at mid-on, and Ian Holland was lbw to Jaydn Denly for 23, leaving the Foxes on 156 for 6.

Hamza was happy to play the anchor role until the final ten, when he and Green started to hit out – he finally fell in the last over when he skied Matt Quinn to Finch at long off.

Muyeye made 30 before he hit Green to Eskinazi at long-off.

Two quick wickets threatened to drag Leicestershire back into it. Sam Northeast was on 27 when Mo Rivzi missed a half-chance to get him caught-and-bowled, but he’d only moved on to 32 when he hit Holland to Green at backward point.

Denly then went for 5, attempting to reverse Rivzi and getting caught by Alex Green, but Finch made a useful 30, before pulling Alex Green to a diving Ben Green at midwicket, before Chris Benjamin joined Bell-Drummond to see Kent home.