Lancashire clinched a crucial LV County Championship victory against Kent at Old Trafford to put themselves back in the title hunt.

The Red Rose county had drawn five out their first six Division One games before this clash and were 27 points behind leaders Yorkshire.

But this eight-wicket win at Old Trafford puts them firmly back in the race as the league breaks for the fast and furious action of the Twenty20 Cup this week.

Muttiah Muralitharan and Gary Keedy took six wickets between them to whittle out the visitors for 190 after they were made to follow on late on day three in reply to 451 -5 declared.

Kent were bowled out for 272 in their first innings on Sunday and were looking good with Martin van Jaarsveld digging in with 85 second time around.

He shared a fourth-wicket stand of 79 with Darren Stevens who also passed fifty in just 53 balls.

The turning point of the day came when Stevens was run out by all-rounder Tom Smith, who threw down one stump to leave the score 158 for four.