KENT’S hapless batting and dismal one-day form continued with their six-wicket totesport League humiliation to fellow strugglers Warwickshire Bears.

Batting first on a slightly damp Edgbaston pitch effected by the mid-week monsoon, Spitfires were shot out for just 135 with 43-balls of their 45-over allocation still remaining.

The Bears’ went on to chase their target hungrily, wrapping up their sixth victory just after 5.30pm and with almost 20 overs in hand to inflict Kent’s seventh defeat of a dreadful campaign.

Only Michael Bevan with 35 and Rob Ferley 20 had made contributions of note as the wicket helped seamers and spinners alike in a Kent innings that included just 10 boundaries.

Off-spinner Mark Wagh bagged two for 18 while seamer Heath Streak made the most of some early bounce to finish with three for seven, as Kent’s were found wanting in terms of application, resolve and common sense.

The Bears used three spinners in all, claiming five for 36 between them, as wicketkeeper Keith Piper featured in five dismissals with four catches and a stumping.

The rout started as early as the sixth ball of the match when James Tredwell’s dreary form continued as he chopped on without scoring.

Alex Loudon then feathered a lifter and Ed Smith failed to get on top of a cut shot to pick out the diving Jim Troughton at backward point.

Matt Walker’s leaden-footed drive edged into Piper’s gloves to give Alan Richardson his sole success bringing together Michael Bevan and David Fulton (15) to add 41 in the highest stand of the innings.

Bevan toe-ended an attempted sweep shot to Nick Knight at mid-off, then Fulton tickled an attempted run-down shot against the military medium-pace of Dougie Brown to make it 90 for six.

Niall O’Brien was unable to stop the rot as he edged an attempted cut against Wagh, then Matt Dennington trudged off red-faced having been stumped off a leg-side wide from Brad Hogg.

Ferley also edged to Piper and Ian Butler heaved across the line to go leg before as Kent lost their last three wickets for two runs.

With the benefit of the heavy roller the pitch eased, allowing the Bears to make a flying start to their reply as Neil Carter clubbed two sixes in Butler’s opening over.

The pinch-hitter fell in the second over when Rob Joseph nipped one through the gate, but home skipper Nick Knight then teamed up with Mark Wagh to post the 50 inside 12 overs.

Wagh’s desire to run to down to long leg cost him his wicket when Butler’s return throw beat him back to the crease after Knight refused the run.

But it proved Kent’s last success of the day as in-form Ian Bell waltzed in to hammer another nail into Kent’s relegation coffin with his third league 50 in four innings from 53 balls and with seven fours and a six.

In his quest for wickets Fulton stood by his wayward seamers too long, so by the time he introduced his spinners Bell and Knight had played themselves in and were free to play their shots.

The pair took 19 off Rob Ferley’s first over and the game was as good as won even though Bell went for 51 to end an excellent stand of 79 in 15 overs.

Knight fell for 36 just three runs from glory, but his side got home in the best conditions of the day with 119 balls to spare and leaving Kent staring at the prospect of Division 2 cricket for the first time.