Work takes place on the track at St Lawrence after a low-scoring start to the game against Middlesex Picture: Barry Goodwin

Kent suffered a 47-run defeat to a Middlesex side who were celebrating their first LV County Championship victory of the season on Friday.

Batting first during Canterbury Cricket Week at the St Lawrence ground, Middlesex were all out for 155 in their first innings with Amjad Khan (3-41) and Azhar Mahmood (3-46) doing the bulk of the damage. A knock of 57 from Gareth Berg provided the only resistance.

Kent found life equally as difficult with the bat and, despite 67 from Darren Stevens, they were all out for 141 in their first innings.

Berg was again the mainstay of the Middlesex second innings with 98, while Dawid Malan added 49 and Chris Silverwood 46 as the visitors put together an imposing total. They had been in trouble at 117-5 but Berg and Malan put on 92 for the sixth wicket to turn the game back in Middlesex’s favour.

By the time, Mahmood took the wicket of Steven Finn to dismiss Middlesex for 320 (James Tredwell 5-100), Kent were left a victory target of 335.

Skipper Key went without score and Geraint Jones and Joe Denly both went cheaply.

Martin van Jaarsveld (54) and Sam Northeast (37) then put on a 55-run fourth wicket stand, but the dismissal of the former saw Kent lose six wickets for 73 runs.

Amjad Khan (pictured) shared an 86-run last-wicket partnership with Simon Cook (27) as he contributed a determined 62 not out but Kent were eventually all out for 287.

Kent were without all-rounder Ryan McLaren through injury and he is likely to miss out again tomorrow (Tuesday) when they travel to Northampton to face Northants in another LV County Championship Division 2 encounter.