Rob Key's second championship hundred against Surrey in the space of a month and spectacular match figures of 11-70 by Darren Stevens paved the way for Kent to record only their third championship win of the season, with a comprehensive 265-run victory over their London rivals with a day to spare at Canterbury on Friday.

Skipper Key (pictured) followed up his 162 in the 21-run defeat at The Oval, with an unbeaten 110, holding the innings together on the third morning, as Kent aimed to build on an already healthy advantage of 306.

He lost partner Adam Ball with only four runs added, Matt Coles (13) was caught and bowled by Gareth Batty, who then had Wahab Riaz held by Mark Ramprakash off a slog sweep to leave Kent on 195-9.

Last man Simon Cook stayed with Key for nearly 45 minutes, until he went to a tumbling slip catch by Tom Maynard.

It left Key undefeated, having scored his 20th hundred at St Lawrence. He batted for 273 minutes, faced 202 balls and hit only seven fours.

Surrey, still harbouring an outside chance of promotion themselves, needed to score 373 to win, but first innings hero Stevens, given the new ball second time around, soon got rid of Steve Davies without scoring and then Matt Coles picked up Ramprakash.

Stevens (4-49) added skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown and Zander de Bruyn and Jason Roy, before James Tredwell got in on the act, wrapping up the tail to finish with 5-35.

Kent wasted a good start given to them by Joe Denly and Key on Wednesday, before a late flurry from Riaz boosted their first innings total to 266.

Surrey began day two on 50-0 and seemingly well placed, but Davies, Hamilton-Brown and Ramprakash (0) all went early, as Stevens proved nearly unplayable on his way to a career-best 7-21 return, as Surrey dipped to 127 all out.

Stevens beat his previous best return for the second time this season, having taken six wickets against Essex in the opening match of the campaign.

Kent started with a lead of 139, but Denly went cheaply, the rest getting starts but unable to go on. That left Key to lead from the front in magnificent fashion, at the end of a week of contrasting fortunes.

Picture: Barry Goodwin