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Kent beat Derbyshire by 130 runs at Derby to record third successive County Championship win

Kent made it three wins in a row in the County Championship with a comprehensive victory at Derbyshire on Wednesday.

They took the final Derbyshire wicket just after tea to complete a 130-run success, having set the hosts an unlikely 341 for victory.

Kent head coach Matt Walker. Picture: Keith Gillard
Kent head coach Matt Walker. Picture: Keith Gillard

Kent head coach Matt Walker said: "We certainly made a point of trying to get the lads to make a statement in these last four games of the season and three from three is exactly what we ordered.

"All three games have been well won, we've dominated most of those games if not all of them.

"We lost the whole day to rain yesterday so to still win fairly comfortably shows we've played some good cricket this week."

Kent batted on for nine overs in the morning, adding 64 with Jordan Cox falling for 81 attempting a big shot against Matt Critchley.

Daniel Bell-Drummond dispatched Matthew Critchley for six on his way to an unbeaten 51 and the declaration set Derbyshire a target that was purely notional given their batting woes this season. Kent declared on 211-2.

A more realistic target was to bat out the day but, once again, their top order crumbled and by lunch, Derbyshire were facing defeat.

Harry Came was the first to go when he followed one from Grant Stewart (2-45) that moved away and Leus du Plooy bagged a pair when he was pinned in front first ball by a full delivery.

Billy Godleman denied Stewart a hat-trick but, after a brief recovery, two more wickets fell before the interval.

Wayne Madsen played across a swinging delivery from Harry Podmore (2-48) and was lbw for 13 and although he passed 6,000 first-class runs for Derbyshire, Godleman followed him to the pavilion in the next over.

The Derbyshire captain miscued a pull at Nathan Gilchrist (4-30) and was caught at square leg for 27 to leave his side in disarray on 67-4 at the interval.

It was now just a question of how long Derbyshire could delay Kent but the visitors were soon back in business.

Tom Wood lost his off stump as he played forward to Jas Singh (2-42) and Gilchrist claimed his second wicket in the next over when Critchley edged to second slip.

Gilchrist found late movement to have Brooke Guest caught behind but Anuj Dal and Ben Aitchison finally offered some resistance along with a few muscular blows before the latter miscued to mid-off.

Sam Conners, batting with a runner after turning an ankle earlier in the game, helped Dal (58 not out) take the game to tea but Gilchrist sealed victory with the fifth ball of the final session when he bowled Conners.

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent

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