by Andrew Gidley

Kent moved 18 points clear at the top of the LV County Championship Division 2 table after beating nearest rivals Derbyshire by three wickets with 19 balls remaining in a tense finish at Canterbury on Monday.

Set 317 to win, their fifth victory of the summer was eventually completed with a bye, but not without a wobble, after they looked on course to win comfortably at one stage.

Skipper Rob Key and Geraint Jones both completed their third hundreds of the season, and Martin Van Jaarsveld, celebrated a new three-year deal with 51 off 47 balls, scored his 15,000th run in first-class cricket on the way.

He fell to a catch in the deep, fourth out at 279, Justin Kemp went without scoring, and Darren Stevens was trapped lbw by Tim Groenewald for 29 off 28 deliveries.

Ryan McLaren, nursing a side strain, which is set to keep him out of this week’s game against Middlesex, also went without scoring, before Wayne Parnell and James Tredwell completed the winning run.

Tredwell (pictured) had a fine match with 86 not out and 8-185 with the ball. He and Kemp (3-12) engineered Derbyshire’s demise on the final morning as the visitors lost their last six wickets for 67, all out for 303 for the second time in the match.