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Dan Christian led Notts Outlaws to the T20 Blast title in 2017

Dan Christian smashed the second-fastest century in T20 Blast history for defending champions Notts Outlaws - on a night when Kent's Joe Denly also hit a century and took a hat-trick.

Notts captain Christian took 37 balls to reach three-figures against Northants, just behind Andrew Symonds' 34-ball ton for Kent in 2004.

The Australian came to the crease in the 10th over with Notts on 81-4, and struck nine sixes to finish unbeaten on 113 and take the Outlaws to 219-6.

Ben Duckett made a 17-ball fifty, but Northants were all out for 161.

It was a stunning display of power hitting from 35-year-old Christian as Notts scored 137 runs off the final 10 overs, the all-rounder making 113 of them.

Three of the last six overs went for more than 20 runs as Christian cleared the rope with ease, including a mammoth 28 off the 17th over from seamer Nathan Buck.

Duckett, who scored 96 in Northants' opening game on Wednesday, got the chase off to an extraordinary start, bludgeoning 30 off the third over from Samit Patel.

But with batsmen getting out around him, the 23-year-old eventually holed out in the 13th over for a brilliant 88 off 45 deliveries and the rest of the card crumbled.

Hat-trick and a hundred for Denly

There was also plenty of drama at The Oval, where Kent's Denly starred to lead the Spitfires to a six-run win over Surrey.

The 32-year-old opener made 102 off 63 balls in Kent's 173-6, but then turned the game on its head with his part-time spin.

Surrey appeared to be cruising at 135-3, when midway through the 13th over Denly had Rikki Clarke stumped and removed teenager Jack Smith lbw next ball.

Mathew Pillans flicked the hat-trick delivery into the air and was snaffled by wicketkeeper Sam Billings to complete Denly's incredible evening.

Matt Milne wrapped up the match with two wickets in two deliveries as Surrey were all out for 167 in the 19th over.

Joe Denly also hit a century in last year's T20 game between Surrey and Kent at The Oval

Rapids beat rivals Bears in tight contest

In a packed Friday fixture list, which saw 16 of the 18 counties in action, there were also wins for Worcestershire, Durham, Lancashire, Somerset, Glamorgan and Essex.

Worcestershire Rapids' match against local rivals Birmingham Bears came down to the last ball as the hosts managed to pull off a four-run victory at New Road.

Chasing 193, the Bears looked down and out at 152-9, but a gutsy last-wicket stand between Tim Ambrose and Oliver Hannon-Dalby saw them require six for victory off the last ball.

Luke Wood managed to only concede a single and the Rapids now have two wins from their first two games.

Another local derby at Taunton saw Somerset race to a six-wicket win over Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire made 188-6, thanks to Ryan Higgins' half-century, but rapid fifties from Steven Davies (60) and Peter Trego (72 not out) took Somerset to victory with more than three overs to spare.

Arguably the most dominant victory of the day came at Derby, where Lancashire Lightning opener Liam Livingstone powered to a 51-ball century as his side reached their target of 162 in just 14.3 overs.

At Chelmsford, there was another final-over victory as Simon Harmer hit the penultimate ball to the rope to give Essex a three-wicket win against Middlesex.