KENT reclaimed top spot in the Frizzell Championship Division 1 with a dramatic 145–run win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

Set to chase an improbable 410 for victory, the hosts succumbed for 264, but only after another match-winning burst of six for 99 from Kent’s Pakistan paceman Mohammad Sami.

The Karachi Express ended stubborn Northamptonshire resistance and finished with 10 for 138 in the match as Kent landed their third win in four championship starts with 13 overs to spare.

The game, played out on a lifelessly slow pitch that assisted neither the spinners, nor pacemen, appeared to be heading for a dull draw when Graeme Swann (42) and South African Martin van Jaarsveld combined for a stoic sixth wicket stand worth 76.

But Sami switched to the Old Football Ground End to land a crucial blow with the last ball before tea that hit Swann full on the boot to win a vital leg before decision.

Van Jaarsveld was still limpet-like though and fully deserving of a maiden championship ton scored from 226 balls and with 11 fours.

His five-and-a-half hour stay ended unusually when he hit his own wicket to go for 114.

Leaning back to cut a short one from Min Patel, the right-hander clattered his own leg stump with the toe end of the bat to make it 250 for seven.

Former Kent player Ben Phillips then gloved a Sami lifter into the gloves of Niall O’Brien leaving Kent to take two more wickets going into the final hour of the game.

Sami made it double-figures in the match by removing Gerrard Brophy, but again lady luck was on Kent’s side.

Attempting a back-foot force through cover, Brophy’s shot hit silly point fielder Matthew Walker on the knee and ballooned high in the air for Ed Smith to take a catch running back at gully.

Martin Saggers finished it off by bowling Carl Greenidge off an under-edge for his only wicket of the match to spark celebrations for Kent’s first win at Wantage Road in eight years.

With another 19 points in the bag, Kent return to the top of the table ahead of next Tuesday’s trip to play Surrey at The Oval.