KENT duly completed an emphatic seven wicket win over Gloucestershire at The Mote but had the gloss wiped from the victory by the ECB pitch panel’s decision to dock them eight points for a poor wicket.

The hosts duly dismissed Gloucestershire for 99 in their second innings, the lowest score of the first-class season to date, with Andrew Hall taking three for 36 and Darren Stevens career-best figures of three for 19.

Amjad Khan and Simon Cook bagged two wickets apiece, while keeper Niall O’Brien took six catches and nine in the game to equal his career best.

Kent duly wiped off the 78 they needed for the win inside 17 overs courtesy of an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 43 between Matt Walker (19) and Darren Stevens (23) that saw Kent past the finish line by 2.30pm.

Steve Kirby bowled with aggression down the slope to rip out three for 38 and cause some concern, but Stevens and Walker knuckled down to clinch victory.

But Kent’s second championship win was soured by the ECB pitch panel decision.

The county have yet to decide if they are to appeal but skipper David Fulton believes they have grounds.

“No disrespect to Gloucestershire but they aren’t in great form at the moment and I’d like to think we have the better side and would have beaten them whatever the conditions of the pitch,” said Fulton.

“Their tail-enders batted very well, but there was a negative mindset from their top order and they seemed to think there were demons in the pitch.

“The reality was the ball swung a bit and neither side batted particularly well. In our first innings we had one caught and bowled, a couple caught at cover and one stumped on a pitch not conducive to spin.

“To my mind the bounce was consistent and the pace was consistent, so yes we’re disappointed to be docked because I’ve batted on far worse pitches.”

Fulton added: “There are extenuating circumstances, it is an out ground and the facilities aren’t as good, and we normally play here a month later in the season.

“Maidstone is usually a belter of a track but they’ve had poor weather here last week and the whole square is damp.”

SCORECARD

Kent first innings

W P C Weston b Hall 5
S J Adshead c Patel b Cook 2
M G N Windows lbw b Khan 39
C G Taylor lbw b Cook 0
A P R Gidman b Stevens 2
J A Pearson c O’Brien b Kemp 13
M A Hardinges c O’Brien b Khan 27
U D U Chandana c Kemp b Hall 7
I D Fisher c O’Brien b Cook 39
C G Greenidge lbw b Khan 25
S P Kirby not out 4
Extras 20

Total 183 all out after 60.3 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-5, 2-25, 3-25, 4-48, 5-54, 6-83, 7-92, 8-128, 9-170.

Bowling: Khan 11.3-2-31-3, Hall 16-4-47-2, Cook 19-6-54-3, Stevens 8-4-16-1, Patel 1-0-4-0, Kemp 5-2-25-1.

Kent first innings

D P Fulton c Adshead b Hardinges 21
J L Denly b Kirby 4
M van Jaarsveld c Fisher b Greenidge 10
M J Walker b Hardinges 13
D I Stevens c&b Gidman 35
J Kemp c Adshead b Hardinges 0
A J Hall c Weston b Gidman 25
N J O’Brien c Taylor b Hardinges 13
S J Cook st Adshead b Fisher 23
M M Patel c Adshead b Hardinges 29
A Khan not out 11
Extras 20

Total 204 all out after 67 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-11, 2-43, 3-47, 4-71, 5-75, 6-125, 7-130, 8-157, 9-176.

Bowling: Kirby 14-3-42-1, Greenidge 14-4-36-1, Hardinges 18-2-51-5, Gidman 9-2-28-2, Chandana 7-0-19-0, Fisher 5-1-15-1.

Gloucestershire second innings

W P C Weston b Khan 0
S J Adshead c O’Brien b Hall 3
M G N Windows c Kemp b Cook 15
C G Taylor c O’Brien b Khan 18
A P R Gidman c Kemp b Stevens 13
J A Pearson c Fulton b Stevens 0
M A Hardinges c O’Brien b Hall 19
U D U Chandana c O’Brien b Stevens 1
I D Fisher c O’Brien b Hall 22
C G Greenidge c O’Brien b Cook 0
S P Kirby not out 4
Extras 3

Total 99 all out in 43.1 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-0, 2-11, 3-26, 4-48, 5-52, 6-52, 7-56, 8-91, 9-92

Bowling: Khan 13-3-25-2, Hall 12.1-4-64-3, Cook 6-0-18-2, Stevens 8-2-13-3, Kemp 1-1-0-0.

Kent second innings

D P Fulton b Kirby 0
J K Denly c Hardinges b Kirby 10
M van Jaarsveld b Kirby 15
M J Walker not out 19
D I Stevens not out 23
Extras 11

Total 78 for three after 16.4 overs

Fall of wicket: 1-0, 2-26, 3-35.

Bowling: Kirby 8.4-2-38-3, Greenidge 3-1-6-0, Hardinges 5-0-23-0.

Kent win by seven wickets

Kent 18pts Gloucestershire 3pts (Kent deducted eight points after pitch panel decision)