Essex Seconds enjoyed an eight wicket victory over Kent in the Second Eleven Championship match at Maidstone.

Kent won the toss and batted first, Essex took two early wickets, but then had to work hard to dismiss the batsmen.

David Thompson took a wicket each time he came for a spell, but Essex were held up at the end of the day by a ninth wicket stand so that Kent ended the day 266 for eight.

On the second morning, Thompson completed the innings within 20 minutes to finish with 6-65 from 25.5 overs.

Essex lost Darren Robinson to the first ball of the innings and Ian Flanagan at 35.

Lunch was taken at 68 for two and Paul Grayson went at 96. Then came a superb stand of 154 for the next wicket between Tim Hodgson (87) and Stephen Peters (90).

The innings fell away again after that as the bowling became tighter, even so Essex closed on 304-7 with maximum bowling points there for the taking.

These were duly gathered in the morning by Tim Walton (46 no) and Ricky Anderson, but Essex lost their last three in one over, to Will house's medium pace.

Essex took the usual quick wickets in their second innings and then worked steadily through. Grayson monopolised one end, bowling 28 overs unchanged while the seamers operated in spells from the other.

At tea Kent had reached 197 for five. However, Thompson and Anderson soon polished off the resistance with Anderson five for 60 and Thompson three for 72.

Essex were left needing only 156 to win with 21 overs left on the third day.

On the fourth morning, Robinson and Flanagan both reached half centuries, and some scintillating stroke play by Stephen Peters saw Essex comfortably home to maximum point victory.

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