ESSEX promotion hopes lie in tatters after a maiden first-class century from England one-day batsman Sam Billings and an extraordinary third-afternoon collapse by the visitors allowed Kent to land an innings and 207-run win in Tunbridge Wells with more than a day to spare.
A season’s best 123 from Ben Harmison and an unbeaten 113-ball hundred by Billings eased Kent to a mammoth 633 for eight declared – their highest ever total on home soil.
Having banked a first-innings lead of 373, Kent then skittled the visitors for 166 in a shade over three hours to secure 24 points for their first home win of the 2015 campaign.
But Essex travelled home with only three points for their efforts.
Kent had bossed the opening two days of the Royal Spa town festival week, but not even the most optimistic of Kent supporters would have believed Sam Northeast’s side might wrap up their third win of the summer in such emphatic style.
Ryan ten Doeschate swings his bat in frustration after being out lbw
Resuming on their overnight first innings score of 420 for four, Kent pressed the accelerator right from the off but, with his score on 76, Darren Stevens chased a useful leg-cutter from Jamie Porter to nick to the keeper.
Harmison and Billings cracked on thereafter with the former reaching three figures for the first time in a year from 196 balls for his part in a sixth-wicket stand of 99.
The former Durham left-hander was just short of his career best when he miscued a lofted drive to chip a simple catch to mid-on, but Billings, the impish wicketkeeper-bat, marched on reaching his first championship hundred in emphatic style from only 113 balls and with 46 runs coming in boundaries.
With a ground record score to their name, Kent declared moments later but, in the tense 18-over stint through to tea, Essex capitulated to 66 for four to send the hosts into the break sensing victory.
The Essex capitulation started as early as the second over when Nick Browne’s push drive at a Matt Hunn length ball simply glanced off an open face to gully.
Tom Westley looks to the skies after being caught out
Jaik Mickleburgh (nine) played inside a Hunn off-cutter to have the off stump pegged back, Ravi Bopara (five) fenced outside off against Calum Haggett to be caught in the cordon then, in the over before tea, Jesse Ryder miscued an attempted lofted drive against James Tredwell to pick out Hunn fielding at mid-on.
The collapse gathered momentum after the break when Tom Westley (22) edged an attempted glance to the keeper and dangerman Ryan ten Doeschate (27) played back to a Darren Stevens leg-cutter to go lbw despite the hint of an inside edge.
Once James Foster feathered a back-foot force against the impressive Hunn to a tumbling James Tredwell in the slips the result was beyond doubt and Kent wasted little time in wrapping up proceedings.
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