Seam bowler Steffan Jones picked up the last three wickets as Somerset thrashed Kent by 246 runs at Taunton.

With Robert Key absent following the birth of a son, Kent lasted just 45 minutes as they were all out for 216.

Keeper Geraint Jones made a defiant unbeaten 53, but his namesake cleaned up the tail for figures of 5-53.

Successive balls removed Ryan McLaren and Robbie Joseph and although Martin Saggers survived an lbw appeal from the hat-trick delivery, he soon followed.

It was Somerset's third Championship win of the season and boosted their hopes of back-to-back titles after finishing top of Division Two last summer.

Kent made a positive start to the morning as Jones, who reached his half century off 113 balls, and McLaren extended their seventh-wicket partnership to 59.

But Somerset's Jones then found the edge of McLaren's bat and keeper Craig Kieswetter took a good catch diving to his left to send him on his way for 23.

The next ball shattered the stumps as Joseph played across the line and the game came to an end when Saggers tamely fended a rising ball to James Hildreth, fielding at gully.

Somerset skipper Justin Langer afterwards hailed "an excellent all-round team performance".

He told the club's website: "I think we had seven half centuries in the match, which I prefer to one batsman making a big hundred. Everyone chipped in and it was good to finish things off quickly.

"I thought Kent were pretty negative throughout. Our bowlers hit the deck harder than their did and that was an important difference."