Kent remain firmly in the Rothesay County Championship promotion race after they beat Lancashire by seven wickets at Canterbury on Thursday.

Needing just 56 to win at the start of play, having resumed on 84 for 2, they coasted home after just 18.3 overs on day three, finishing on 142-3.

Tom Bailey had Tawanda Muyuye lbw for 43, but Sam Northeast finished on 48 not out, while Daniel Bell-Drummond hit the winning runs, to finish unbeaten on 19.

Kent were 84-2 when play began at midday, chasing 140 to win, after a 90-minute delay due to rain.

Although Muyeye hit James Anderson’s first ball of the day through cover for four, Lancashire didn’t make it easy for the home side. Muyeye was out to Bailey in the fourth over of the session, but with so few runs to defend they stood little realistic chance.

The biggest round of applause of the day came when it was announced the scheduled lunch interval would be delayed until there was a result and during the extension Bell-Drummond cracked Balderson for four to seal the victory.

Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond said: “It was a great couple of days. The guys did a really professional job with the bat and ball, and especially yesterday. There were a few tired bodies with where we are in the season, but all the seamers really stood up. Matt Quinn wasn’t too well, but put in a proper shift for us and it was great to see Khaled bowl well throughout the game, and Matt Milnes. They were backed up by Keith Dudgeon, who was excellent, so I think we owe a lot to the bowlers.

“With the bat, especially Zak Crawley’s first innings knock was a match-winning knock. To play that way on a tricky wicket, with that confidence, to give us a 50-run lead or so, 60-run lead, was a great effort.

“The way Sam Northeast and Tawanda played was excellent, especially Tawanda last night, obviously taking the attack to them and recognising a moment to really put the game in our favour. And then Sam’s showing his experience today and seeing us through to the end. So, like I say, it was a really professional performance.”

Lancashire’s Steven Croft said: “It’s obviously very disappointing to come down here and lose in three days. As a performance I think it was a little bit better than what we’ve shown in the last few weeks. There was a great opening stand with Keaton and Jones, the bowlers again put in a great shift and I think it’s about having those skills and doing it over a longer period of time.

“We’ve shown glimpses in this game and throughout the season that there’s plenty of talent there but in four-day cricket you have to do it for longer and I think that’s where we’ve come unstuck this year.

“Some of those players have got brilliant track records, in the past they’ve got plenty of hundreds between them and five-fors. Some are more experienced than others, some are still learning the trade a little bit but they’ve got an abundance of skill and history behind them and it’s trying to get the best out of them on the field.

“Like I said, we’ve seen small glimpses, but we just haven’t done it for long enough, particularly in this game and throughout the season.”