Leaders Kent strengthened their claims for automatic promotion from Division Two of the LV County Championship after a successful run chase against Surrey in Canterbury.

The home side secured their seventh win of the campaign with six wickets in hand and three overs to spare.

Surrey doggedly batted on until 3pm in reaching 293 all out, setting Kent a victory target of 200 from the remaining 48 overs of the match.

Kent cantered home to a maximum-points victory courtesy of Rob Key's 54-ball half-century and cameo knocks from first innings century-makers Geraint Jones and Darren Stevens.

The hosts were given a flying start to their pursuit with an opening stand worth 90 in 15 overs between Key and rookie right-hander Sam Northeast, who contributed a valuable 28 with four fours.

Northeast was unfortunate to pick out the fielder at mid-wicket from a firm clip off his legs against Stuart Meaker then, three balls later, Key was equally unlucky to go leg before to the bustling seamer after a ball that kept low.

Kent maintained their momentum though Martin van Jaarsveld's brisk 19 which ended when he edged onto his pad when working across the line to Matt Spriegel, to spoon a catch to Pedro Collins diving forward at short fine leg.

Jones and Stevens added 55 in 10 overs and in the process Jones, enjoying a renaissance season batting at number three, reached 1,000 first-class runs in a season for the first time in his career.

The former England gloveman enjoyed one stroke of luck when on 31 as Meaker juggled and eventually downed a running chance at deep backward square leg, but Jones failed to make the most of the let-off.

With Kent within 15 of reaching their target, Jones danced down the pitch only to miss one from occasional spinner Usman Afzaal to be stumped for a run-a-ball 45.

It was Stevens (35 not out) and Justin Kemp (9no) who steered Kent over the finish line for a 22-point haul, giving them a 29-point lead at the top, with a game in hand over second-placed Essex.

Surrey, who avoided slumping to the bottom of the table after picking up seven points in their defeat, batted stoically on the final day and made Kent work tirelessly to take their four remaining wickets.

They lost Chris Schofield (36) in the seventh over of the day when the left-hander had his off stump clipped by a leg cutter then, just before lunch, Jade Dernbach's resistance ended when he spooned a lifter from Kemp to backward point, to be out for 16.

Tim Linley, with 36, dug in after lunch with Meaker to add 67 in 28 overs for the eighth wicket until James Tredwell took a sharp, neck-high chance at third slip off an edged Linley drive against Khan.

Last man Pedro Collins (12) then miscued a slog to mid-off to leave Meaker unbeaten on 64 after four hours at the crease.

Khan took three for 49 and eight wickets in the match to leave Kent facing an asking rate of 5.26 per over for victory.

Tredwell bagged three for 72, while debutant Phil Edwards finished with a creditable two for 52.