Darren Stevens hailed his match-winning double hundred as the best championship innings of his career as Kent ended a disappointing LV=County Championship Division 2 season with an unlikely two-wicket win over champions Lancashire on Friday.

The 37-year-old all-rounder helped Kent achieve the seemingly impossible by scoring the 418 runs needed for victory, with injured former skipper Rob Key with him at the end, batting despite a broken thumb.

Stevens’ future is uncertain as he faces an International Cricket Council hearing early in the New Year, after being charged with failing to report an illegal approach while playing for the Dhaka Gladiators in this year’s Bangladesh Premier League.

He celebrated in emotional fashion and tweeted: “Special day. Great way to finish a season. Great win. Some good kids coming through. Thx 2 all.”

Stevens faced 218 balls and hit 21 fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 205, the third Adam Ball helped Stevens in Kent’s bid for victory with a career-best 69, adding 148 for the sixth wicket in 35 overs before falling leg-before to Tom Smith with the score on 361, and still 47 needed for victory.

Skipper James Tredwell (11) and Mark Davies both fell in the same over. but Key joined Stevens who fittingly hit the winning boundary, in an incredible finale to a modest campaign.
Kent had resumed on 32-1, with Key expected not to appear after being injured fielding the previous day.