MATT Coles claimed a stunning six-wicket haul on his Ageas Bowl return to dent Hampshire’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Royal London Cup.

The Kent seam bowler took 6-56 as his former employers could only manage a below par 229 all out.

Openers Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly then shared a double century stand to ease the visitors to a five-wicket win and boost their own quarter-final hopes.

Former England limited-overs batsman Denly continued his impressive recent form with a chanceless century and Bell-Drummond followed up his 171 not out in England Lions’ win over Sri Lanka A on Monday with his highest List A score for Kent, an exciting 91.

Despite the collapse that followed, Kent easily reached a target of 230.

Denly and Bell-Drummond put on 203, beating their own Kent record of 131 for the first wicket against Hampshire set last season.

The pair looked unstoppable and were on course for a 10-wicket annihilation before three wickets in seven balls halted the charge.

Bell-Drummond, who survived a caught-behind appeal early on, was the first to finally depart when he picked out Tom Alsop on the boundary rope.

Debut Four balls later Brad Wheal, on his Hampshire 50-over debut, took his second wicket as Denly looped one up to Sean Ervine to depart for 105.

Skipper Sam Northeast was then lbw to Ryan McLaren and Darren Stevens was well caught by Mason Crane, Wheal with a third to send a panic through Kent.

The collapse became five wickets for 13 runs when Sam Billings pulled tamely to Gareth Berg to put Wheal on a hat-trick, but Alex Blake and Will Gidman steered the away side to victory with 39 balls to spare.

Earlier Hampshire were put in and, after a 38-run opening stand, hemorrhaged wickets regularly.

Alsop tickled a delivery outside off stump to be caught behind and was quickly followed back by opening partner Will Smith, who dragged on from outside off stump.

Stodgy Captain Ervine added a stodgy 21 before he attempted to ramp over his shoulder but was caught at extra cover.

Adam Wheater gave the hosts hope with a nicely crafted half-century from 56 deliveries during a useful 61-run partnership with Liam Dawson.

But in the 31st over both departed in exactly the same way, Coles grabbing his first with Wheater (63) hooking across to Blake before Dawson (20) fell into the same trap.

From then on it was the Coles show on his former home ground as he yorked Lewis McManus and had Berg caught behind slashing away from his body.

Coles had his fifth when Gareth Andrew chipped to extra cover, and with his final delivery pulled off a remarkable reaction caught-and-bowled to see off ex-Kent man McLaren - who had quietly scored 43.

It was the second time Coles has taken six wickets in a List A fixture.

l Hampshire are back in Royal London Cup action today, travelling to The Oval to face Surrey.

The county return to The Ageas Bowl on Friday for their last T20 Blast fixture of the season, against Somerset.