Nightwatchman Matt Milnes scored his maiden first-class half-century but was unable to prevent Kent from a 200-run defeat against Yorkshire in the County Championship on Sunday.

Kent needed to bat out the final day with only eight wickets remaining, although that figure was actually seven with Harry Podmore unable to bat after being ruled out of the game with a side strain on day one.

Milnes showed some of his more illustrious colleagues how to bat with a career-best 78 to frustrate Yorkshire for long periods at Canterbury.

But when his four and a half hour vigil was ended by David Willey (5-61), the writing was on the wall for Kent who were dismissed for 244 with just over 19 overs remaining in the day.

Milnes faced 210 balls, including a 75-run partnership with Darren Stevens, who was Kent’s next highest scorer with 47.

Kent coach Matt Walker said: "He (Milnes) played brilliantly. I think he’s worked extremely hard this winter on his batting.

"I’m really pleased he went out and scored some runs to justify all the work he’s put in. He has a very simple technique and he did a brilliant job.

"It was a really great innings and it could have been something very special had he seen it all the way through.

"He laid a bit of a lesson out to some of our top order about how to go about it. It was a fantastic display of grit and concentration.

"I think he’s very frustrated and down in the dumps that he didn’t see it through.”

Resuming on 33-2 and trailing by 411, the hosts got off to a dismal start when they lost skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond for 24 to the fourth ball of the morning, a spectacular inswinger from Willey that sent his off stump flying.

Joe Denly scored 30 from 33 balls as he looked to demonstrate his batting ability in front of England captain Joe Root. But he fell to a jaffa from Jordan Thompson (3-24) and was caught behind.

Jack Leaning was out for a duck when he edged his sixth ball, from Thompson, to Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip to complete a pair against his former county, leaving Kent 86-5 before lunch.

Ollie Robinson and Milnes regrouped, however, and Kent frustrated Yorkshire throughout the afternoon session, with Milnes driving Dom Bess through cover for four to bring up his maiden first-class fifty while Robinson reined in his attacking instincts for a measured 28 from 99 balls.

Robinson eventually perished when he edged Duanne Olivier to wicketkeeper Jonathan Tattershall, but Stevens joined Milnes to bat through to tea, at which point Kent were 193-6 and harbouring hopes of a draw.

The new ball finally accounted for Milnes, who was lbw to Willey in the 83rd over and he looked a picture of desolation as he trudged off with his head down and shoulders slumped, not even raising a bat to acknowledge the applause of his team-mates on the balcony.

Two overs later Stevens was caught at mid-on by Joe Root off Willey and Yorkshire clinched the win with 19.2 overs to spare when Willey had Miguel Cummins leg before for 12.

Yorkshire picked up 23 points while Kent were left with just five bonus points. Kent host Lancashire at Canterbury from Thursday.

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