James Tredwell underlined his all-rounder qualities as Kent raced to victory inside three days against Leicestershire on Friday.

Tredwell (pictured), an unused member of England’s squad for the spring tour to Pakistan, hit 87 with the bat and then took 3-38 with the ball.

It helped Kent record a LV= County Championship Division 2 win by an innings and 279 runs and moved them up to second place in the table behind leaders Derbyshire.

After losing the toss, Kent were indebted to Matt Coles’ 5-41 as Leicestershire were dismissed for just 141 on day one.

Coles, who took his tally for the season to 28 wickets during the match, gave good support after Charlie Shreck (3-51) took three wickets with the new ball, helping reduce the visitors to 66-6 at one stage.

Wayne White (30) and Neil Eckersley (31 not out) showed some resistance with a 56-run partnership for the seventh wicket but Coles went to work after lunch and Darren Stevens chipped in with 2-22.

Kent’s reply got off to the worst possible start when former England paceman Matthew Hoggard took the wicket of the returning Sam Northeast with the first ball of the innings.

But skipper Rob Key produced an obdurate innings of 85 to steady the ship. Brendan Nash (76) continued his bright start to the summer while Michael Powell scored his second century since joining from Glamorgan in the close season.

Powell made 134 and shared in a sizeable seventh-wicket stand of 104 with Tredwell, who himself fell 13 runs short of a century.

Coles weighed in with 47 as Kent, although failing to get maximum batting points after a cautious start, carefully moved themselves into a position of total dominance.

Leicestershire showed little resistance in reply, with Shreck again striking early with the new ball. By the time Tredwell picked up three wickets in his first two overs of the match, they were struggling on 64-7.

Infact, only a last-wicket partnership of 37 between Nathan Buck (27) and Hoggard meant Leicestershire reached three figures before Stevens picked up 4-24 to wrap up a convincing win.