Satisfied Kent skipper Rob Key believes his side are right back in the LV Championship title hunt again after securing an impressive 211-run win over Lancashire with almost two sessions to spare.

The win, Kent's fourth of the summer, takes them out of the Division relegation zone and up to fourth in the Division 1 table and only 13 points shy of leaders Somerset.

Speaking of his vital decision not to enforce the follow-on after the team's win, Key said: "It's a horrible decision sometimes whether to enforce the follow-on or not. We actually thought the wicket was going to get a lot worse, as it happened, it got better and was probably at its best for batting on the third and fourth days.

"What we wanted to avoid was them setting us 120 to 140 on the last day to win it might have been quite tricky, so we took the decision to bat again.

• Listen: Rob Key also spoke to kmfm's Adam Williams at the end of the match >>>

"I speak to Shane Warne from time to time and he doesn't always believe in enforcing the follow-on and part of it was because Robbie Joseph had bowled a 12-over spell, it was hot and sunny, so there were the bowlers to consider. But ultimately I just didn't fancy batting last on it.

"I came off, spoke to the coaches, asked the bowlers how they felt, and to be fair they said 'not too bad'. But because it was a used pitch I felt spin would come into play on the last day and I didn't fancy chasing down a nasty little target to win it.

"When they got to 220-4 it was a slight worry to me at one stage but generally, when you have a lead of 470, you should be pretty much in charge of the game.

"That one wicket of Mark Chilton's was vital, from going in four down at lunch and with us thinking where our next wicket was going to come from all of a sudden they were eight down and we were that much nearer the finish line."

And with four games of the campaign remaining Key added: "It's all about character in the championship this year. As yet I don't feel we've really hit our straps, we've played well at times and poorly at others and if we can just be consistent now, put a string of wins together, then who knows.

Two or three wins could put us right in the hunt again."

Kent are next in action on Monday, in a Bank Holiday NatWest Pro40 clash with Yorkshire in Scarborough from 1.40pm, then the teams meet again at North Marine Drive in a four-day championship match from Wednesday.