Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens has praised the side’s tactics after this week’s 10-wicket County Championship win against Derbyshire at Canterbury.

Stevens took match figures of 9-89 as Kent beat their Division Two opponents inside three days, having enforced the follow-on after dismissing them for just 115 in their first innings.

Speaking about the decision to enforce the follow-on in the evening of the second day, Stevens said it had been a “no brainer”, despite Head Coach Jimmy Adams having his reservations.

“We were 230 ahead – it was a no brainer”, the 38-year-old fan’s favourite said.

“I think Jimmy [Adams, Head Coach] was quite keen for us to bat on again, but we had a chat as a bowling unit and we said “no, let’s put them back in”.

The decision to do so was well and truly vindicated, as Kent took three further wickets that evening, before dismissing their opponents for 256 the second time around on the third day, and chasing down the 38 runs required without loss, in just over 10 overs.

Stevens ended with figures of 6-64 in that second knock, as the Derbyshire batsmen failed to deal with the movement and unerring accuracy of his medium-pacers.

“There was a little bit of swing, but it was a pitch where it was a little bit up and down, and you were just trying to whack a length out as hard as you can, really”, he explained.

“It was good. All we talk about, as most bowling units would do, is patience, on a pitch like that that’s a little bit up and down.

“Obviously your lines are key, but whacking an area out and being as patient as possible – we kept it as simple as we could, and it worked for us nicely.”

Stevens also paid tribute to young off-spinner Adam Riley – his partner in crime against Derbyshire – who took match figures of 7-118, including 4-30 in the first innings.

“He bowled nicely”, Stevens said of the 23-year-old, who currently sits fourth in the list of wicket-takers in the country with 40 First Class poles already this season.

“He was trying to find his rhythm – he was a little bit slow at times, a little bit too quick, but towards the end he found a good pace.”