Sam Northeast remained modest despite his maiden one-day century for Kent helping secure the historic victory over Sussex.

The 23-year-old opener’s previous best score was just 69, but despite some early-season struggles, Northeast improved his score for the fifth consecutive YB40 appearance with a thrilling 115 which took the Spitfires to the brink of victory.

While his 90-ball century took more than twice as long as that by swashbuckling Darren Stevens – with whom Northeast put on 159 for the third wicket – Northeast’s contribution drew praise from coach Jimmy Adams and skipper Geraint Jones,

However Northeast said: “It was stressful a lot of the time but great fun. Most of the time I was just watching a proper knock at the other end from Stevo. It was an unbelievable innings.

“It just set the whole game up - for me to go and play normally, to tick it round and get the odd four here or there… it was a proper innings from him and most of the credit should go to him.

“It was nice for me being able to go out and play that way - obviously having Stevo at the other end who’s playing unbelievably well helped that.”

Northeast admitted the significance of his first List A century had passed him by as: “At the time I was still in the moment of needing to win.”

He added: “If we’d lost that game after both of us getting hundreds I’d have never been able to forgive myself.

“But I’m happy and it was an unbelievable win in the end. The fact it was a world record just makes it an unbelievable moment. I’m speechless.”

Northeast’s has only made one half-century in 28 t20 matches but with the 2013 campaign beginning next week, he said: “We’ve got to take this into our t20 now, hopefully we can go on a run and do something in that competition.

“We’ve not really been up to scratch in all forms this year and hopefully we can give the fans something in t20 cricket.”