Kent v Lancashire Day four

Kent wrapped up their fourth win of the LV Championship season after dismissing Lancashire for 264 to secure victory by 211 runs with virtually two sessions of the game to spare.

Needing an unlikely 476 for victory, the visitors lost their last six wickets in two-and-a-quarter hours to crash to only their second match of the four-day campaign.

Kent were made to work hard for their wickets however, and it was not until they dislodged former Lancashire skipper Mark Chilton for 102 that the hosts began to regain control of the game in taking four wickets for 17 runs in the space of 31 balls.

Chilton, having just posted a 218-ball century with 16 fours, overbalanced after attempting a sweep shot against off-spinner James Tredwell and, after a delay of a couple of seconds, was stumped by keeper Geraint Jones.

That ended a stand worth 83 in 34 overs in tandem with Luke Sutton, but more crucially Kent now had a new player to bowl at on a pitch that is now taking spin.

The new face was Lancashire skipper Stuart Law, who is still struggling with back spasms and came out to bat with Paul Horton as a runner. His stay was brief though and after three balls he over-reached and chipped back a return catch to Tredwell to make it 227-6.

Home skipper Rob Key introduced spin at both ends by bringing on Martin van Jaarsveld at the Nackington Road End and that ploy soon worked to end Sutton's 107-ball stay for 34 when he was adjudged to have edged a push-drive to Tredwell at first slip, but in all likelihood the ball may have brushed off the pad.

Then, in the last over before lunch, Glen Chapple drove airily at van Jaarsveld and picked out Darren Stevens at wide mid-on.

Soon after the re-start Gary Keedy (4) was bowled around his legs when attempting to sweep van Jaarsveld who, in the next over, caught Dominic Cork (18) off a top-edged sweep to give Tredwell a third scalp.

Rob Key’s side bank 19 points from the game to move to fourth in the Division 1 table while Lancashire, with three points, head toward the drop zone.

Kent will now head off for NatWest Pro40 games at Scarborough on Monday and then Northamptonshire next Sunday, and will play a four-day championship match against Yorkshire at North Marine Drive from Wednesday.

*** Click here to view a live match scorecard on the cricinfo website ***