Kent captain Rob Key has urged his team to produce better first innings scores, despite beating LV County Championship Division 2 leaders Gloucestershire by 76 runs on Friday.

Key, pictured right, insisted Kent had to improve after being dismissed for 231 having won the toss and opted to bat on the opening day.

"If we can get more on the board, particularly in the first innings, it will allow us to relax a little bit more in the field, which is something we’d all like, because games like this can become a bit tense," Key told the club’s official website.

"If you look at our individual scores I got 30, Geraint Jones 40 and Martin van Jaarsveld a couple of 50s.Justin Kemp played well but ran out of partners - there’s no doubt we need to up our performances with the bat a little."

Key also pointed to the Beckenham wicket, which lacked its usual bounce and pace, as a factor in a low-scoring game.

He added: "I always say this is one of the best wickets in the country, but this time it was very dry and had slow, tennis-ball bounce rather than good pace.

"If you bowled a good length, as both teams did, scoring runs was quite tough and the slips always seemed to be in the game."

Kent looked to be struggling after the first day but Simon Cook's 5-22 on day two helped dismiss the visitors for 166.

Sam Northeast, in the side for Joe Denly who was on England Lions duty, made 30 and Van Jaarsveld (62) hit his second half-century.

Kent had a lead of 244 when last-pair Ryan McLaren and Cook (40 not out) came together but they put on 87 for the last wicket before McLaren went for 42.

That left Gloucestershire chasing 332 for victory but they were dismissed for 255 with Azhar Mahmood bagging 5-39 and James Tredwell returning 4-84.