Kent remain stranded in the bottom two of the LV= County Championship after an innings and 142 runs defeat at Gloucestershire last week.

The hosts claimed their first win in 10 years at Cheltenham after dismissing Kent for 168 by the middle of the third day on Friday.

It was the 13th time that Kent have been dismissed for 250 or less in 18 completed championship innings this summer – and the second time in the game after their first innings tally of just 205.

That effort resembled a recovery for the visitors who were 59-6 at one stage, after acting skipper Martin van Jaarsveld (pictured) lost the toss.

Opener Chris Piesley replaced injured captain Rob Key and made just four runs in the game, including a seven-ball duck in the first innings.

It was left to James Tredwell (45) and Darren Stevens to put on 83 for the seventh wicket – the latter also helping Kent to a batting bonus point before being last man out for 67.

Gloucestershire’s Chris Taylor made a career best-equalling 196 as they piled on the runs with a commanding 515.

Kent had high hopes of limiting their lead when they were reduced to 116-4 but Taylor and skipper Alex Gidman put on 160 for the fifth wicket – the first of three sizeable partnerships in a row for the home side.

Loan bowler David Balcombe again led the Kent attack with plenty of heart and was rewarded with career-best figures of 5-103.

Robbie Joseph was afforded only 19 overs at nearly six runs per over while Simon Cook got through 17 overs on his return to the side.

Kent needed to bat for the best part of two days to save the game but failed miserably.

Having lost Piesley for four, Sam Northeast made a third-ball duck and opener Joe Denly went for a quickfire 26 to leave Kent 32-3.

Van Jaarsveld, Stevens and Jones all got starts but it was some defiant hitting from Cook that prolonged Kent’s fate.

Cook hit 46 not out from 39 balls, including two straight sixes off Kane Williamson but Kent went from 102-4 to 168 all out and slumped to their third successive championship defeat in the process.

Kent’s second innings lasted less than 43 overs and they took just three points from the game.