South Africans Heino Kuhn and Sean Dickson took full advantage of much improved conditions to compile an unbroken double century partnership and steer Kent to a decisive three day victory in their Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire.

Coming together when the visitors, chasing 253 to beat the Foxes, had been reduced to 38-2, Kuhn and Dickson batted with impressive purpose and positivity in scoring at more than five runs an over.

After two days of heavy cloud, under which the ball swung the air and nipped around on the previously used pitch, the weather cleared shortly after lunch. The pitch flattened quickly, and in the hot sunshine only Leicestershire’s Pakistan international seamer Mohammad Abbas offered any sort of consistent threat.

Kuhn, who had been first to his half-century, was overtaken by Dickson, who went on to hit three sixes and 12 fours in going to his century off 131 deliveries. He finished on 134 not out, with Kuhn unbeaten on 92, their third wicket partnership of 215 having been compiled in 41.3 overs.

Earlier, a first-class career best five wicket haul for Ivan Thomas, giving the young seamer nine wickets in the match, saw Leicestershire bowled out for 227 in their second innings.

Resuming on 126-5, Leicestershire lost Ben Raine in just the third over of the day, Harry Podmore seaming a delivery away from the left-hander and finding the edge of the bat, giving Sam Billings a straightforward catch behind the stumps.

Callum Parkinson was then bounced out by Thomas, gloving a bouncer to second slip. Harry Dearden, 61 not out overnight, had taken his score on to 74 when he tried to cut a wide delivery from Darren Stevens and succeeded only in top edging a catch to slip, where Dickson took a chest-high catch.

Leicestershire were in danger of subsiding, but Dieter Klein put bat to ball, thumping a run-a-ball 41 to extend their lead past 200 before being adjudged leg before on the back foot to the leg-spin of Joe Denly, and Gavin Griffiths and  Abbas added another 20 runs for the final wicket before Abbas slog-swept Denly into the hand of Thomas at deep backward square.

Abbas, who had taken six wickets in Kent’s first innings, then had Daniel Bell-Drummond caught behind and flattened Grant Stewart’s off-stump to give the Foxes hope of forcing victory – a hope inexorably extinguished by Dickson and Kuhn.

Leicestershire captain Paul Horton:

“Credit to Kent, they played well overall in the game and in the second innings batted strongly. Sometimes conditions align for you, sometimes for the opposition, and in this game they probably worked for Kent in the end – the ‘no toss’ rule has a huge impact, as it did for us when we beat them in two days at Canterbury.

“That said we did well to keep them to parity in the first innings, but didn’t get enough in the second, and they made hay in the sunshine as the wicket lost its pace and flattened out.

“It was slightly weird game for us really. We made a late decision to change the wicket, then to lose a player [Zak Chappell] to the concussion protocol never helps – it was just one of those games which didn’t run for us, and the opposition played well.”

Kent head coach Matt Walker:

“You can’t afford too many losses if you’re going to get promoted, one, maybe two, and it’s going to be a tight finish in Division Two. We were so disappointed with the way we played against Leicestershire at Canterbury, we spoke about it, we wanted a response and we got one, the reaction was fantastic.

“It was a real scrap for most of the game, it was tough batting, and to win the way we did was a great effort. Conditions definitely improved, but Heion Kuhn and Sean Dickson played very, very well – it was a brilliant partnership, they got in and just kept going and going, they took responsibility and didn’t leave it to anyone else and that’s what you need sometimes.

“It’s something all the batters can learn from – get through the tough part, keep going, and then it does get easier. They showed a really clear mindset and complemented each other very well, and it made for great watching for us on the balcony.”