There have been many times, especially over the past five years, when Kent's sizeable investment in Robbie Joseph - the Antiguan who came to be schooled in the county as a 15-year old - has been questioned even by the most ardent of the club's supporters.

Kent took an immediate interest in the gangling young all-rounder who joined Sutton Valence School, near Maidstone, yet despite a first-class debut at 18 in 2000 for a Counties XI, he did not make his county debut until 2004.

Now 26, he began this season with just 56 first-class wickets at 36 runs apiece, and had played only 21 matches for Kent in four seasons. What a difference one summer makes.

Kent's patience has finally paid off, and Joseph's 5 for 34 yesterday took his season's Championship tally to 40 at 23.85. Lancashire, 37 for 6 when Joseph's burst ended, were bowled out for 125 and face a defeat which would seriously harm their title hopes.

Joseph, with his flowing action and ability to run the ball away from the right-handers, has crucially added a yard or two of pace this year. He is also bowling with confidence, as a result of a string of impressive performances and a permanent place in Kent's Championship side.

Only a last-wicket stand of 46 between Glen Chapple and Sajid Mahmood rescued Lancashire from complete humiliation as Martin Saggers gleefully got amongst the lower order.

Despite Stuart Law suffering from a back spasm, however, the follow-on remained unenforced, allowing Joe Denly and Neil Dexter - on his 24th birthday - to underline Kent's dominance with attractive half-centuries.

Dexter, Saggers and Amjad Khan - when left out of the matchday squad of 13 - were somewhat miffed to be asked to stay away from the Kent dressing room for much of last Saturday's Friends Provident Trophy final defeat against Essex.

Yet if that was a short-sighted and probably unintentional slight, they have all shown their value as senior members of a strong squad in this match. Khan, still attempting to regain full mach fitness after more than a year of serious injury, removed Mark Chilton with the new ball and - with Joseph - formed a pacy threat up front.

Saggers took three wickets in nine balls as Lancashire plunged to 79 for 9, and then ended the final wicket frolics, when Mahmood slashed to second slip, to finish with 4 for 26.

Earlier, Geraint Jones converted his overnight 80 not out into his seventh first-class hundred as Kent moved from 241 for 7 to 283 all out. It was a fine effort from Jones, who had come in at 100 for 4, and the worth of his 106 was soon put into sharp relief as Joseph sent Lancashire into a terminal spin from which only rain can now save them.

Scoreboard

Kent: First Innings (overnight 241-7)
G O Jones lbw b Chapple106
A Khan lbw b Chapple16
R H Joseph c Horton b Cork16
M J Saggers not out0
Extras (b 5, lb 6, nb 2) 13
Total (110.1 overs) 283

Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-48, 3-52, 4-100, 5-105, 6-157, 7-202, 8-246, 9-277.

Bowling: Chapple 25.1-7-56-3; Mahmood 27-7-88-1; Cork 23-5-43-3; Croft 11-1-30-2; Keedy 20-4-46-0; Du Plessis 4-1-9-0.

Second Innings
J L Denly not out 63
*R W T Key c Sutton b Mahmood 4
N J Dexter not out 69
Extras (b 1, lb 6, nb 2) 9
Total (1 wkt, 42 overs) 145

Fall of wicket: 1-6.

Bowling: Cork 5-1-8-0; Mahmood 4-1-21-1; Croft 2-0-18-0; Chapple 7-2-20-0; Keedy 15-2-41-0; Du Plessis 9-1-30-0.

Lancashire: First Innings
P J Horton b Joseph 0
M J Chilton lbw b Khan 1
M B Loye c Tredwell b Joseph 2
F du Plessis c Stevens b Joseph 10
S J Croft lbw b Joseph 13
L D Sutton c Tredwell b Joseph 4
G Chapple not out 44
*S G Law c Jones b Saggers 7
D G Cork lbw b Saggers 0
G Keedy c McLaren b Saggers 3
S I Mahmood c Van Jaarsveld b Saggers 33
Extras (b 4, lb 2, nb 2) 8
Total (36.5 overs) 125

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-2, 3-6, 4-16, 5-32, 6-37, 7-69, 8-73, 9-79.

Bowling: Joseph 13-2-34-5; Khan 12-3-38-1; McLaren 6-1-21-0; Saggers 5.5-1-26-4.

Umpires: B Dudleston and M J Harris.