County Championship: Kent beat Sussex for fourth win of season

Matt Coles broke the partnership between Michael Burgess and Vernon Philander

Kent secured their fourth Championship Division Two win of the season as they beat neighbours Sussex by 147 runs at Tunbridge Wells.

The home side reclaimed second place in the table by bowling out Sussex for 356 during the final afternoon.

Vernon Philander (73 not out) and Michael Burgess (68) both batted well in a losing cause.

The end came when James Harris (4-103) had Danny Briggs lbw as Kent climbed to within four points of leaders Notts.

Facing a target of 504, it seemed likely that the game would be concluded in the morning after Sussex struggled to 182-6 at the end of day three.

However, Burgess and David Wiese (32) extended their partnership to 51 before Harris knocked out the latter's off stump.

Burgess was dropped by Will Gidman off Matt Coles as he added 52 with Philander, before the bowler had his revenge by trapping him leg-before.

Harris removed Jofra Archer for 27 after a rain shower briefly held up the post-lunch resumption of play.

After reaching a 69-ball fifty, Philander celebrated with three successive fours off Harris, but the on-loan paceman dismissed Briggs for 18 for match figures of 7-140.

Sussex skipper Luke Wright told BBC Sussex: "We were up against a good Kent side who've started really well in this competition.

"The way that Stevo (Darren Stevens) bowled in the first innings really set up the game for them; he bowled outstandingly well, got it to do a lot.

"I thought we bowled well but we didn't get the nicks and they did, we beat the bat so many times but they got 300 and we seemed to nick everything when we batted.

"We just haven't had enough big scores, and that's what we did so well in the last game against Durham. It was annoying, especially in the first innings, and that put us massively behind in the game."