Hasan Mahmud's career-best figures lead Kent to 140-run win over Lancashire in 2026

Hasan Mahmud delivered his best career bowling figures on debut to help Kent secure a dominant 140-run victory over Lancashire in just three days.

Kent secure three-day victory Kent claimed a commanding 140-run win over Lancashire in the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at Blackpool, completing the victory inside three days. The visitors finished with 19 points for their third win in four games, while Lancashire earned just three points for their third defeat in four outings. Hasan Mahmud starred with bat and ball on his Kent debut, finishing with match figures of 9-101. The victory marked Kent’s third triumph in their last four matches. ## Mahmud's record-breaking bowling display Hasan Mahmud produced a career-best performance with the ball, finishing with innings figures of 6-69 and match figures of 9-101. His bowling dismantled Lancashire’s second innings, which collapsed for 283 after needing 424 to win. The Bangladesh seamer dismissed six of the 10 Lancashire wickets in the second innings. Chanting crowds at Blackpool watched as Mahmud claimed his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests during the match. ## Lancashire's valiant resistance falls short Lancashire’s chase ended at 283 despite Marcus Harris’s unbeaten 91 and Keaton Jennings’s 61, which included a 104-run third-wicket partnership. Harris attacked the Kent spinners aggressively from the start but fell nine runs short of a century. Jennings was caught down the legside off Mahmud for 61, ending a crucial stand. Liam Livingstone, unbeaten on 38 at tea, also fell to Mahmud for 47 after inside-edging a short ball into his stumps. ## Kent's batting fightback secures lead Kent’s first innings total of 332 was built on stands of 103 by Chris Benjamin and 83 by Sam Finch. James Anderson and Tom Bailey wrapped up the innings by dismissing Benjamin and Finch in the morning session. Anderson finished with 3-45, while George Balderson took 3-65 in Lancashire’s first innings. The visitors’ 178 in the first innings left them needing 424 in the fourth innings, a target that proved too steep. ## Late Lancashire wickets halt momentum Momentum swung Kent’s way after two quick wickets in three balls reduced Lancashire to 162-4. Keaton Jennings was caught by Benjamin off Mahmud, while Ben McDermott was run out after hesitating on a call from Harris. The dismissals came just before tea, with Lancashire at 216-4. After tea, Mahmud struck again, removing Livingstone and Joe Moores in two balls to turn the game decisively. ## Kent wrap up win in final session Kent needed just two more wickets to seal victory after Livingstone’s dismissal left Lancashire at 233-6. George Balderson was caught at third slip for four off Mahmud, while Tom Bailey was bowled by Matt Parkinson for a golden duck. Parkinson claimed his first wicket of the match when he trapped Tom Aspinwall leg-before for 14. The game ended when Anderson caught and bowled Harris for two, leaving the opener nine runs short of his century.