Kent suffered their fifth County Championship defeat of the season with more than a day and a half to spare as Middlesex wrapped up their nine-wicket victory at Lord’s on Tuesday.

Only rain the night before helped Rob Key’s men avoid a two-day loss, with the home side escaping punishment, despite the England and Wales Cricket Board’s pitch panel ruling the pitch was below average, after 23 wickets fell on the first day.

Middlesex 120-1 overnight, needed just an hour, and eight overs to score the 47 runs needed against the Kent attack of James Goodman, Joe Denly, and Key himself, to complete the job, making 168-1, opener Sam Robson finishing 94 not out.

He and Scott Newman (45) had put on 120 for the first wicket

A last-wicket stand of 92 between Azhar Mahmood (pictured) and Simon Cook averted the prospect of an innings defeat.

Mahmood hit 50 not out and Cook an unbeaten 51 in his first championship match for two months, following a broken thumb as Kent were all out for 232, 166 runs ahead. Tim Murtagh again did the damage with 4-83 and match figures of 9-110.

Middlesex skipper Neil Dexter won a crucial toss put Kent in and saw them slip to 22-6 inside the opening 15 overs. Geraint Jones (11) and Joe Denly (10) were the only players to make double figures before Mahmood was last man out for 32.

Sam Robson and Scott Newman gave Middlesex a solid start with a stand of 54, before Ashley Shaw made the breakthrough, bowling Newman for 22

Mahmood then had Dan Housego (9) caught behind and followed up with five more in six overs as Middlesex struggled to 105-7.

Murtagh and Steve Crook fell to Wahab Riaz and Shaw, before Steve Finn (18) and Corey Collymore added 29 for the last wicket, before Azhar dismissed the latter to finish with 6-36.

Kent found batting no easier second time around, as Key went first ball, followed by Northeast (4) and van Jaarsveld (6), play ending with Kent 46-3, still trailing by 20 runs.