KENT wrapped up a dramatic two-day, innings win over reigning champions Sussex after claiming 18 wickets inside two sessions at a shell-shocked St Lawrence.

Having posted 368 on the opening day courtesy of centuries from Yasir Arafat and Matthew Walker, it was Kent's seam bowlers who took centre stage on Thursday to clinch the innings and 106-run win by 4.50pm with seven sessions of the game still remaining.

The visitors, who beat Kent by eight wickets at Hove in the opening week of the season, were left disheartened by injuries to key bowlers Rana Naved and Jason Lewry on the first day, but that can be no excuse for their dismal batting display on day two.

Having started the day on 19 for two, a deficit of 349, Sussex batted like a side intent on self-destruction under grey, cloudy skies that undoubtedly helped the Kent attack to swing the ball.

Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat continued to enjoy a stunning home championship debut by taking the first four wickets to fall and after that the visitors succumbed like the proverbial house of cards.

He sent Richard Montgomerie and night watchman James Kirtley packing for ducks on Wednesday evening, then accounted for Murray Goodwin (0) and Carl Hokinson (6) to reduce his former club to 26 for four after a nine-over stint of four for 36.

He was replaced down the Nackington Road slope by Ryan McLaren, who also got in on the wicket-taking act by removing Chris Nash for 22.

The right-hander drove firmly only to see Darren Stevens dive full-length to his left at cover point and pull off a remarkable two-handed catch.

The Kent pair then exchanged roles when McLaren pocketed a comfortable looping catch at cover point off Stevens' sixth ball of the morning that Matt Prior (4) miscued as he attempted to drive.

Sussex skipper Chris Adams came in to make a belligerent 42 with nine fours in the run up to lunch, but he then went leg before when pinned on the back foot by McLaren.

In his next over, Kent's Kolpak signing accounted for Rana Naved for the fourth duck of the innings. Clearly in pain from a stomach strain and batting with a runner, Naved wafted at a short one to edge to Geraint Jones and make it 96 for eight.

Stevens bagged his second of the morning when Mushtaq Ahmed's mis-timed drive picked out Joe Denly, bringing in last man Jason Lewry, also struggling with a hip injury and batting with a runner.

He became the fifth batsmen of the innings to post a duck when he wafted at a McLaren leg-cutter to edge to Jones and give the South African figures of four for 12 and Kent a first innings lead of 266.

Key enforced the follow-on at the lunch break and by tea the Kent skipper was toasting his maiden win of the county campaign after bowling Sussex out inside 43 overs.

Arafat and McLaren made early inroads second time round with Goodwin snared leg before and Montgomerie caught behind, after which Simon Cook took centre stage with a Kent-best haul of six for 35.

Several Sussex batsman tried to force the pace by getting on the front foot and driving, but on this pitch more caution was required and they paid the ultimate price by mistiming their shots and spooning the ball to Kent's grateful fielders.

Naved and Lewry both needed to bat again with runners, the latter becoming last man out in the game when he nicked an ambitious drive off Cook into the gloves of Jones to clinch a 21-points win.

SCORECARD

Kent first innings

J L Denly lbw b Rana Naved 24
R W T Key c Kirtley b Rana Naved 5
M van Jaarsveld b Martin-Jenkins 6
M J Walker b Mushtaq Ahmed 103
D I Stevens c Prior b Martin-Jenkins 9
G O Jones lbw b Rana Naved 49
Yasir Arafat not out 0
R McLaren run out (Sub Saqlain) 12
J C Tredwell c Prior b Martin-Jenkins 0
S J Cook not out 14
R H Joseph lbw b Martin-Jenkins 4
Extras 20

Total 368 all out after 96.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-21, 2-38, 3-46, 4-66, 5-140, 6-288, 7-323, 8-339, 9-362.

Bowling: Lewry 20-4-53-0, Rana Naved 12-1-44-3, Martin-Jenkins 23.3-4-67-5, Kirtley 16-2-78-0, Mushtaq Ahmed 25-2-117-1.

Sussex first innings

C D Hopkinson c Denly b Cook 6
R R Montgomerie c Walker b Arafat 0
R J Kirtley b Arafat 0
C D Nash c Stevens b McLaren 22
M W Goodwin lbw b Arafat 0
C J Adams lbw b McLaren 42
M J Prior c McLaren b Stevens 4
R S C Martin-Jenkins not out 2
Rana Naved c Jones b McLaren 0
Mushtaq Ahmed c Denly b Stevens 4
J D Lewry c Jones b McLaren 0
Extras 22

Total 102 all out after 33.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-17, 2-17, 3-26, 4-26, 5-69. 6-96, 7-96, 8-96, 9-101.

Bowling: Joseph 8-6-13-0, Arafat 10-3-36-4, Cook 5-0-31-0, McLaren 7.3-2-12-4, Stevens 3-2-5-2.

Sussex second innings

C D Hopkinson c Denly b Cook 26
R R Montgomerie c Jones b McLaren 11
C D Nash c McLaren b Cook 16
M W Goodwin lbw b Arafat 1
C J Adams c Stevens b Cook 16
M J Prior c Tredwell b Cook 35
R S C Martin Jenkins not out 24
Rana Naved c Denly b Cook 4
Mushtaq Ahmed c Joseph b Stevens 0
R J Kirtley c Joseph b Stevens 4
J D Lewry c Jones b Cook 6
Extras 17

Total 160 all out after 42.5overs

Fall of wicket: 1-30, 2-58, 3-61, 4-63, 5-118, 6-123, 7-131, 8-147, 9-147.

Bowling: Arafat 8-0-62-1, Joseph 7-2-13-0, McLaren 5-1-19-1, Cook 13.5-5-35-6, Stevens 9-0-27-2.

Kent won by an innings and 106 runs

Bonus points: Kent 21, Sussex 3.