KENT extended their unbeaten record against New Zealand into a 78th year by hammering the Kiwis by nine wickets in sunny Canterbury.

The sides have met 10 times since 1927 and Kent have now won four and drawn six, but this was surely their proudest day of all against a strong Kiwi side.

Set 189 to win, Kent cruised home just after lunch on the final day with England discard Rob Key unbeaten on 117 for his second century of the game.

The win represented an incredible turn around in a four-day friendly that started with the tourists dominating, only to pay the ultimate price for their dilatory scoring rate.

With one eye on this week’s first Test at Lord’s, the tourists shamelessly used Thursday as extended batting practice, offering little by way of entertainment for the paying public.

Openers Mark Richardson hit 92 in almost five hours and Michael Papps, a mildly-more attractive 126 in four hours, as they set out to bat all day on a placid St Lawrence pitch and against an attack shorn of the resting Martin Saggers and Mohammad Sami.

Kent’s rookie paceman David Stiff, hampered by no-ball problems earlier in the day, came good to remove both limpet-like openers, but at 297 for two New Zealand were sitting pretty come the close.

The match turned on its head on Friday when Kent picked up the last eight Kiwi wickets for 79 runs.

Amjad Khan found his range and improved rhythm to send back Scott Styris and Craig McMillan, Stiff took his tally to three, leaving the middle order exposed to the wiles of left-arm spinner Min Patel.

Playing first-class cricket for the first time since a spinal operation last spring, Patel bowled with great control and flight to keep the close fielders interested throughout his 23-over stint.

He richly deserved his five for 56 return, his best figures for Kent since July 2002 as New Zealand succumbed for 409.

In stark contrast, Kent’s batsmen went out to play their shots on a trustworthy pitch and were rewarded with a healthy scoring rate and a first innings lead of 23 when David Fulton declared at 432, nine wickets down.

Rob Key nudged the England selectors with 114 from 130-balls, Michael Carberry continued his rich vein of form with an attractive 75 and Geraint Jones came good in the nick of time with a run-a-ball ton that fully vindicated the U-turn over his inclusion for this game.

Chris Martin was the pick of the visiting attack with four for 92, but the Kiwis, much to the delight of England skipper Michael Vaughan, were made to work hard ahead of the three Test series.

Vaughan would have smiled too when flicking on Teletext to see New Zealand’s second innings collapse.

Khan’s cutting edge removed the first four in the order, the improving Sheriyar picked up two, as did left-arm spinner Rob Ferley, as the tourists capitulated to 211 all out.

Their plight would have been worse but for a belligerent 73 from Chris Cairns and a useful 40 from Daniel Vettori, but as it was, Kent had 99 overs and more than a day to knock off the 189 they needed to win.

Thanks to Fulton’s classy 67 and Key, who became only the third Kent player to hit two centuries in a match against a touring side, they romped home with almost 50 overs in hand.