Kent produced a stunning bowling performance on the third day to destroy Gloucestershire and get their Championship season off to the perfect start.

Darren Stevens came close to his best ever red-ball figures in a storied career as he collected 6-22 on Sunday afternoon as the visitors were whipped out for just 61 in 20 overs on their way to a thumping 334-run defeat at the hands of a rampant Kent at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.

The victory - secured with more than four sessions to spare - ensured a 21-point haul for the hosts who are seeking to ensure promotion from Specsavers County Championship Division 2 this season, having fallen agonisingly short last year.

The hosts had made a modest start on the opening day of the new season, debutant Joe Weatherley being asked to open in the absence of Sean Dickson (hamstring) and making 36 and sharing a 50-plus-stand for the second wicket with Joe Denly.

Denly went on to post 62 before falling to Liam Norwell (3-43) but 134/2 became 154/5 after he, skipper Sam Northeast (22) and Will Gidman (10) departed.

Stevens cracked seven fours and a six in a breezy 50 from 62 balls which were as many runs as Adam Rouse, Matt Coles and James Tredwell (26) mustered between them.

Kent were 224/8 when Tredwell and the other debutant James Harris put on 38 for the ninth wicket and then Mitch Claydon (17) joined Harris (33 not out) to guide the hosts to 298 all-out.

Stevens carried his batting form into bowling duty and ousted Cameron Bancroft (1) before stumps on the opening day and though fellow opener Chris Dent made 67, his side were 115/6 when he departed, bowled by Claydon (4-35).

The onslaught continued as Harris (3-42) and Stevens (2-42) helped ensure the visitors were bowled out for 149 inside 60 overs, with David Payne's 20 batting at 10 their second highest contribution after Dent.

Kent turned the screw despite losing Daniel Bell-Drummond (1) early-on with Weatherley adding 34 and Denly another 59. Gidman also reached the milestone (51) but there was no repeat for Stevens who went for a second-ball duck, falling to Norwell who finished with 5-59 as 130/4 became 137/7.

In the end it needed Tredwell to compile a fine unbeaten 47, featuring eight fours and a six, to guide the hosts to 246 all-out and set the visitors a target of 396 for victory on the third afternoon.

The game was up long before tea however as Stevens and Harris tore through their bewildered opposition almost at will.

Jack Taylor (14), batting at seven, and No10 Norwell (24) were the only men into double figures as Gloucestershire's 14/1 became 18/6 and then 37/9 with Stevens claiming 6-22 off nine overs - just outside his career-best of 7-21 - and Harris adding 3-20 as Kent prevailed by 334 runs.

Kent’s bowling hero Stevens admitted: “I certainly didn’t see that coming. There was plenty in the pitch for the bowlers if you put it in the right places and when we spoke after day one I thought 250 was a par score.

“We felt Gloucestershire bowled too short in our first innings and we went on to bowl better lengths and got dramatic rewards. It was a really good cricket pitch; plenty in there for the bowlers, but if you applied yourself with the bat you could score runs on it too.

"Joe Denly played brilliantly for us, I scraped a 50 and I felt Chris Dent was outstanding for them in their first innings. You needed to bide your time and wait for bad balls. It was old school cricket on a great cricket pitch.

“I thought Liam Norwell bowled brilliantly for Gloucestershire."