SPITFIRES' skipper David Fulton praised his senior players and a partisan Canterbury crowd after Sunday's win over Warwickshire that maintained the club's Division 1 status (Mark Pennell writes).

Thousands flocked beneath the players’ balcony to celebrate the 104-run win that kept Kent in the top flight.

Fulton said: "We knew it was in our hands today and these supporters deserve to watch Division 1 cricket. It was the least we could do to put in a good performance for them.

"We had England calls, injuries and didn’t play our best cricket for the first half of the season. but we had a big meeting in the dressing room and turned things around after that. I asked my senior players to take more responsibility and hold their hands up and I’m delighted with the way the side has responded."

Kent’s win means Leicestershire are relegated, leaving Kent as the only first-class county of all 18 to have maintained top flight status in both four-day and limited overs cricket since the inception of two divisional cricket.

Ed Smith was again in excellent form for the Spitfires|on Sunday and hit a classy 74.