Hasan Mahmud produced career-best figures on his Kent debut to inspire a brilliant 140-run victory over Lancashire inside three days at Blackpool.
Mahmud took 6-69 as Lancashire were dismissed for 283 in pursuit of a record-breaking 424 to win in their Rothesay County Championship Division Two clash.
It’s now three wins in four games for captain Daniel Bell-Drummond’s side.
“It’s a massive victory against a very good team,” said Bell-Drummond.
“I was delighted with the fight we showed and we were able to carry it on once we got ahead.
“Bowling them out today was an exceptional effort because the wicket got a bit flatter even though it was spinning at times.
“Keith Dudgeon was excellent in the first innings but he was backed up by the other quick bowlers and then Hasan put on a world-class performance today.
“He bowled with good skill and pace all game so I’m looking forward to the next game against Middlesex at home.
“Whenever a partnership was building Hasan came back and got to work, showing great skill and swinging it both ways.
“I’m just grateful that the nicks carried but given the pressure built up over three days, the win was well deserved.”
In the morning session, James Anderson and Tom Bailey took the last two Kent wickets, including that of Chris Benjamin for 103, to dismiss the visitors for 332.
Lancashire then lost Harry Singh, caught at slip by Ben Dawkins off Mahmud for 15, and Josh Bohannon, also taken at slip by Sam Northeast, for 26 as the hosts reached lunch on 89-2.
For over an hour of the afternoon session, Lancashire made good progress as both Keaton Jennings and Harris reached their fifties and the third-wicket stand had put up 104 before Kent took two wickets in three balls.
Jennings was caught down the leg side by Benjamin off Mahmud for 61 and then Ben McDermott was run out for nought when he was slow setting off for a single called by Harris and was beaten by Northeast’s sharp throw to the keeper.
Those dismissals left Lancashire on 162-4 but they recovered to 216-4 by tea with Liam Livingstone unbeaten on 38 off 53 balls.
The fifth-wicket pair advanced the score to 233-4 in the evening session before Kent again grabbed two wickets in three balls. Having made 47, Livingstone tried to pull a short ball from Mahmud but only inside-edged it onto his stumps.
Then Joe Moores departed for a second-ball duck when he became the second batsman in the innings to be strangled down the leg side, giving Mahmud only the fourth five-wicket return of his career.
George Balderson became Mahmud’s sixth victim when he was caught for four by Harry Finch at third slip and Lancashire were 246-7.
That became 247-8 at the start of the next over as Tom Bailey was bowled by Bertie Foreman for nought to leave Kent needing two wickets for victory.
Matt Parkinson took his first wicket of the match when he had Tom Aspinwall leg-before for 14 and the game ended when Anderson was caught and bowled by Foreman for two, leaving Harris stranded nine runs short of his century.
Foreman finished with figures of 2-66 in 21.5 overs and Parkinson took 1-82 in 25 overs.
