Warwickshire banked their first Vitality Championship victory of the season in the most emphatic fashion, by an innings and 21 runs over struggling Kent, well inside three days at Edgbaston. 

Kent were bowled out in their second innings for 243 on the third morning as Warwickshire’s seamers completed the demolition job they start on their opponents on the first morning.

Bowled out for 156 first time round, Kent mustered little more at their second attempt even against the Kookaburra ball on an easing pitch as Oliver Hannon-Dalby took six for 43 (nine for 74 in the match). Only Joey Evison (65, 103 balls) offered prolonged resistance as the visitors’ dismal season delivered a sixth successive championship defeat and another shunt towards relegation.

Injuries to key pair Tawanda Muyeye and Grant Stewart only added to a grim three days in the West Midlands for Matt Walker’s side.

After Kent resumed on the third morning on 157 for three, they advanced comfortably enough to 171 before Hannon-Dalby hit them with a burst of three for six in 14 balls. Sharp in-duckers trapped Jack Leaning and Muyeye lbw and Charlie Stobo sent his first ball to Rob Yates at second slip.

Hannon-Dalby was six tenths of the way to an all-ten but that pathway was ended by Ed Barnard who trapped Grant Stewart lbw and followed up with the wicket of Matt Parkinson, who edged to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.

Alfie Ogborne edged Michael Rae to slip before Evison, running out of partners, lifted Barnard for six to reach a 93-ball half-century. Evison batted impressively in both innings but when another attempt to clear the ropes, off Michael Booth, found only Alex Davies at long on, another championship ordeal for Kent was complete.

Their championship Division One status will expire shortly but Warwickshire’s appears safe for another year after this victory as other teams in the bottom half of the table struggle in their games around the country.

Warwickshire coach Mark Robinson said: “Obviously this was a game you target due to where they are in the league and we needed a win as well so it was something we went all out to get. We played really good cricket. 

“I’ve got a bit of empathy for Kent because they are in a difficult place and have lost a lot of players injured, they are probably the hardest-hit team in the country, but when a team is a little bit vulnerable like that you have got to go for the jugular and we have managed to do that.

“The first morning was key. To bundle them out for 150 really set the game for us and then it was all about being positive and trying to get a score and we did that around Will Rhodes’ double century. He hadn’t had a score for a few championship games and was itching to get one. He did some great work with Ian Westwood coming in to this game and really cashed in on what became a good batting wicket.

“Throughout the game we bowled really well as a unit. Olly Hannon-Dalby will get the headlines and rightly so but Michael Rea’s spell this morning was really hostile and backed him up brilliantly.”

Kent coach Matt Walker said: “It’s the same problem unfortunately, we can’t get in games. First innings deficits are created by a lack of runs and then it’s how we follow up with the bowling.

“Too often we’re out of the game very quickly and it’s happened again this week. They bowled pretty well but 156 was never going to be a score that would threaten them. Straight away after day one we were right on the back foot and by the end of day two we were having to try and survive again.”

“We weren’t able to match what they did with the ball and leaked too many runs. That’s the difference between good sides and those who are struggling, the ability to apply pressure over and over again and we just can’t do it.”