Kent (165 & 384-9dec) beat Warwickshire (225 & 147) by 177 runs in County Championship at Edgbaston

Matt Milnes took 4-11 as Kent eased their relegation worries with a vital win at Warwickshire in LV= Insurance County Championship Division 1 on Friday.

Kent wrapped up the win before lunch after taking the eight remaining wickets on the final day to complete a 177-run victory.

After resuming on 28-2, Warwickshire progressed to 86-3 but then collapsed to 147 all out as all four Kent seamers played their part.

The result leaves Warwickshire, who visit leaders Surrey next week, in real jeopardy of following their title triumph in 2021 with relegation in 2022.

Kent were galvanised by the arrival of overseas pacemen Navdeep Saini and Matt Henry. Their seam attack possessed the cutting edge that the depleted Bears sorely lacked.

Kent's bowlers also were supported by fine work in the field, led by captain and wicketkeeper Sam Billings who took 12 catches in the match, surpassing the previous Kent record of 10 (Fred Huish, 1911, and Jack Hubble, 1923).

Sam Hain hit his first three balls for four on day four, but then edged a fine delivery from Saini to Billings to depart for 16.

Dom Sibley and Will Rhodes dug in to add 35 before the latter was strangled down the leg-side off Matt Quinn (2-20) for 15.

Quinn and Milnes took five wickets in 30 balls. Quinn removed Dan Mousley (2), who edged behind. Milnes produced an unplayable lifter to take Michael Burgess's edge and then forced Dom Sibley (33) to play on. Milnes had 3-7 after taking a return catch from Danny Briggs (10).

With Warwickshire's last two wickets needing to find 196, Kent turned to the spinners to improve their over-rate. Jack Leaning disposed of Craig Miles, caught and bowled, before Milnes returned to round off the rout when Olly Hannon-Dalby edged to first slip.