Kent somehow allowed a commanding position to slip to a eight-wicket defeat at home to Derbyshire in LV= County Championship Division 2.

The hosts suffered a fourth defeat in seven games, despite bowling out the visitors for just 86 on the morning of day two to seal a first innings advantage of 119.

Kent extended that lead to 182 with nine second-innings wickets in hand, however a monumental collapse from 89/3 to 112 all-out left Derbyshire a target of 232 for victory, a score which they rattled off without any drama, securing victory on the third morning with more than five sessions to spare.

Kent won the toss and chose to bat, with Ryan Davies handed a debut behind the stumps with Sam Billings on England duty in the only change.

They however endured a nightmare start with Daniel Bell-Drummond (2) and Rob Key (0) both falling to Mark Footitt in the opening over to leave Kent 2/2.

Joe Denly (30) and Sam Northeast steadied the ship with a 96-stand but Denly was bowled by Warren White while Northeast fell soon after following a fluid 85, bowled by Tony Palladino, who finished with 3-19 off 18 overs.

Kent were 135/4 but Darren Stevens’ difficult run with the bat continued as he fell to Footitt for one, Fabian Cowdrey (22) went three balls later to Palladino and Davies was bowled by Footitt in the next over as three wickets fell without a run being scored.

Palladino also accounted for Matt Coles (5) as the hosts slumped to 151/8, however Callum Haggett (20 not out) and a career-best 34 from Adam Riley steered the hosts past 200, though Riley became Footitt’s fifth victim (5-45) before Ivan Thomas was run-out as Kent posted 205.

The reply began superbly for the hosts as Coles made a lightning start, bowling Ben Slater and trapping Chesney Hughes in the first five balls, and then having Tillakaratne Dilshan caught by Riley, leaving the visitors in disarray at 0/3 in the third over.

Red-hot Coles (5-24) also accounted for Billy Godleman (2) and Scott Elstone (0) to make it 23/5 and though Wes Durston made a defiant 35, he and Warren White fell in successive Stevens overs to leave the visitors 40/7.

Tom Paynton (19) and Palladino (27) did see out the first evening, with Derbyshire starting day two on 67/7, however Ivan Thomas polished off the tail, with Davies taking his maiden First Class catch, as they were skittled for 86 in 32 overs.

Denly (6) departed early in Kent’s second innings but Key and Bell-Drummond reached 63/1 on the second morning before Key was well-bowled by White.

The momentum turner when Bell-Drummond was run-out for 45, going for a second, two balls before the scheduled lunch break.

From 73/3 the wickets tumbled in the afternoon with Cowdrey (7) and Stevens (0) falling in successive balls to White, meaning Stevens has scored just six runs combined in his last five Championship innings.

Davies saw off the hat-trick ball but he did complete a pair on debut when he was bowled by White (6-25) and Kent lost a fourth wicket for nine runs when Footitt bowled Haggett (1).

Coles saw the hosts into three figures but was trapped by Footitt for six, Riley departed for nought before Northeast was last-man out, superbly caught by Dilshan on the boundary going for a second six in his 29.

The total of 112 left Derbyshire more than 240 overs to chase 232 and though Coles struck in the first over again to dismiss Slater and make it 6/1, Godleman and Hughes combined for a superb second-wicket stand of 182.

The stand was eventually broken when Hughes was bowled on the third morning by Coles for 94, but Godleman (82 not out) and Dilshan (27 not out) saw the visitors home without further loss in the 63rd over.