Kent lifted themselves off the bottom of the County Championship by completing their second victory of the season by beating Leicestershire by eight wickets at Grace Road.

Despite heavy overnight rain, play resumed on time with Leicestershire on 110 for 9, only 59 ahead, and Ben Raine and Charlie Shreck took the score on to 123 before Shreck was bowled by Matt Coles, the seamer's fourth wicket of the innings to go with the six he took in Leicestershire's first innings. Coles' match figures of 10 for 94 were his best in first class cricket. Allrounder Raine finished on 41 not out.

Needing just 73 to win on what was still a difficult pitch on which to bat, the Kent batsmen adopted an aggressive approach, and while it paid off for Joe Denly, it did cause the demise of Daniel Bell-Drummond, caught by Angus Robson at first slip off the bowling of Raine for 5, and Rob Key, who lofted Raine straight to Ned Eckersley at mid-on for 4.

But Denly prospered hitting 37 off 48 balls, and in company with skipper Sam Northeast, who hit 28 off 25 balls, saw the visitors home shortly after lunch.

Captain Sam Northeast praised his three seam bowlers after Kent completed their second victory of the season and lifted themselves off the bottom of the county championship. "Matt Coles, Calum Haggett and Darren Stevens really stuck to their task well after we lost Ivan Thomas [to a side strain] almost at the start of the game, and to bowl Leicestershire out twice and set up the game in the way we did was pleasing," Northeast said.

But he was not impressed with the Grace Road pitch, which was very green and offered the bowlers assistance throughout. "We have to take it as it comes, but we seem to be going from place to place and playing on this type of 'result' wicket and I don't think it's great for cricket in general, and producing England players and good cricket.

"We've taken away the points, so people will probably say 'just be happy' but I think someone higher up than myself probably needs to look at what is happening at the moment with Division Two wickets."