On the day after they secured Division 1 status for another season, Kent thrashed Somerset by an innings and 151 runs in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Hamid Qadri hit a career-high 87 as Kent made 492 in their first innings, a lead of 290, and although Kasey Aldridge recorded his best first-class figures of 6-110, it was a day of pain for Somerset.

Runs flew off the bat during the first hour but when it was the visitors' turn to bat they collapsed to 139 all out, Matt Quinn taking 3-14 and Nathan Gilchrist, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Qadri all taking two wickets apiece.

The result means Kent leapfrog Somerset in the final standings and could finish as high as fifth, having been dogged by the fear of relegation for the second-half of the season.

“I think the last two weeks have been incredible, with that sense of backs against the wall," said head coach Matt Walker.

"We knew these two games were going to be really critical and to see the fight and desire, and skill on show when it really mattered was exceptional.

“We talk a lot in the dressing room about that character and when it really counts who’s going to put their hand up and I think in these two games everybody’s put their hand up.

"They’ve been two team performances and that was probably what we’ve lacked a bit this season.

“This week was a different type of win on a different type of surface but I thought it was equally impressive, on a really good cricket wicket. We outplayed a really good Somerset side in three days.

"To finish like that is great, if we could bottle these last two games, the attitude, skill, belief and confidence and bring that to the start of next season then hopefully we’ll be looking towards the top rather than scrapping at the bottom.”

The atmosphere at The Spitfire Ground was the most relaxed it had been all year and although Conor McKerr was removed early on for six, caught at slip by Tom Abell off Craig Overton, the bowler limped off with an injury soon afterwards and the runs began to flow.

Qadri might be considered as purely a spinner, but he averages over 43 in first-class cricket and from his overnight score of 27 not out, he raced past 50 with three boundaries off successive Jack Brooks deliveries, the third of which flew inches over the slip cordon.

Gilchrist joined Qadri and put on 48 for the ninth wicket before he was bowled by Aldridge for 14 but Qadri then hit Ben Green for two successive sixes and a four and he eventually fell 13 short of a maiden first-class ton when he edged Aldridge behind.

"The sky is the limit," Qadri said. "I just keep striving forward and work hard with Tendo [Kent batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate] and Walksie in the nets. I’ve worked hard on my batting over the last couple of winters, so I went out there and had fun.

"The days when batters could just bat and bowlers could just bowl are over.

“The initial plan was just trying to get through Craig Overton’s spell because he’s their best bowler, and Aldridge. Once we got through that it was about picking the right options and picking the right bowlers, playing a bit smart.

“I think our bowlers just bowled really well, we went at twos in the first and the second innings so huge credit goes to Gilchrist and Quinn.”

Somerset didn’t even make it to the tea interval, subsiding in 40.4 overs.

Ollie Robinson was allowed to lead Kent into the field to mark his final game before leaving for Durham and he caught Andrew Umeed off Quinn for three in the third over.

Qadri then bowled Abell middle stump for five, leaving Somerset on 19-2 at lunch.

Quinn removed George Bartlett for four, caught by Tawanda Muyeye at short mid-wicket with the fifth ball of the afternoon session, and Joey Evison took his maiden first-class wicket for Kent when he drew an edge from James Rew, who fell for 10 to a sharp catch by Bell-Drummond at third slip.

Green was then dropped by Jack Leaning off Gilchrist but he was caught behind off Bell-Drummond in the next over.

When Bell-Drummond then had Tom Lammonby caught by Zak Crawley at first slip for 23, Overton limped on without a runner and immediately smacked a four, but he was clearly struggling.

Gilchrist soon sent Aldridge’s off-stump cartwheeling for 15 and then had Overton caught by Crawley for 12.

Despite some entertaining swinging from Sajid Khan, who made 40 from 19 balls, the victory was confirmed when, having hit Qadri for successive sixes, he tried his luck for a third time and was caught on the boundary by Muyeye.