Defeat to basement side Glamorgan ended any hopes of promotion for Kent in the LV= County Championship.

Kent needed a win to give themselves any hopes of catching the leading pair, Derbyshire and Yorkshire, in Division 2.

But after losing eight wickets during a torrid 12-over spell on day two in Cardiff their hopes slipped from their grasp.

Glamorgan eventually won the match, by seven wickets, with a day to spare and that boost helped Kent’s promotion rivals to victory, with Derbyshire beating Hampshire by six wickets and Yorkshire recording a 239-run victory over Essex.

Kent captain Rob Key put Glamorgan into bat on the opening morning but the pitch failed to produce the wickets he was looking for.

The hosts ended day one on 334-8 with Jim Allenby unbeaten on 100. He eventually scored 125 not out as Glamorgan ended their first innings on 390.

Matt Coles (4-76) and James Tredwell (3-61) had been chief wicket takers but neither had an answer to Allenby.

In reply to Glamorgan’s 390 on day two, Kent were dismissed for just 170 with their last eight wickets falling for just 33 runs.

Glamorgan’s Robert Croft had teased the visitors and he finished with figures of 5-31.

Kent followed on 220 runs behind with their hopes of winning and claiming promotion disappearing fast.

The loss of both Key and youngster Daniel Bell-Drummond without score in Kent’s second innings left their hopes high and dry. The visitors finished the second day 33-2.

Kent’s misery continued on day three as they slumped from 91-2 to 96-5, a run which included a golden duck for Darren Stevens.

It was left to wicket-keeper Geraint Jones to help Kent avoid an innings defeat. He continued his late-season form with a defiant 81.

But the dismissals of Mike Powell (41) and Tredwell (24) provded decisive and with Jones the penultimate wicket to fall, Kent were dismissed for 280.

The loss of three quick wickets in bad light gave Kent a small glimmer of hope but Glamorgan’s victory target of 61 was always going to prove too small.