James Kirtley produced his best bowling performance for two years in front of England selector Geoff Miller to lead Sussex to an eventful first win of the season over Kent.

Kirtley finished with 6-26, his best figures for two years, to condemn Kent to defeat by 133 runs as they subsided from 97-2 to 159 all out at blustery Hove yesterday.

It took his tally to 16 wickets in two games, not bad for someone who, by his own admission, is a notoriously slow starter.

Kirtley said: "I'm not a good starter so it's nice to get off to a bit of a flyer. There were certain things that I wasn't quite happy with in our first game against Middlesex. I wanted to get some more efficiency into my action and it's nice that it has paid off in this match."

Miller was at Hove to check on the form of Kent opener Robert Key but it was Kirtley who took the eye, although Sussex's vice-captain was quick to praise the contribution of his team-mates afterwards.

Murray Goodwin's 96 on day two was a crucial contribution on a seamer-friendly pitch which always made life difficult for batsmen.

Then there was leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, who broke a 59-run partnership between Greg Blewett and Ed Smith just after lunch yesterday and precipitated Kent's decline.

"After losing to Middlesex the whole team showed a lot of character to bounce back and everyone played their part," added Kirtley.

"Murray did really well to get settled on that pitch and score 96 and Mushtaq created fantastic pressure from one end.

"He has made a big impact already. In the past if it has not been swinging we've struggled to nail tail-enders but he gives us something completely different and has made such a difference."

Kirtley made his decisive contribution in an over which featured two wickets, a wide, one missed catch, another spectacular one and ended with two Sussex players on their way to the casualty department. It just about summed up an unpredictable contest.

Smith spooned up a catch to cover from a ball which stopped on him and two balls later Jason Lewry pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch off Geraint Jones's top-edged pull but collided with Carl Hopkinson's right knee in the process and got a suspected broken nose for his troubles.

Kent's innings was now in terminal decline. In between three brief rain stoppages, Kirtley trapped James Tredwell lbw when he played across a straight one, had Martin Saggers caught off the glove and then re-arranged Ben Trott's stumps with a ball of full length.

It was left to Mushtaq to finish things off when he bamboozled Mark Ealham, who had battled away for 16 overs for his 15, with a googly.

In the end it was all pretty comfortable for Sussex, but there was a time either side of lunch when their supporters must have thought the Lord's scenario would repeat itself.

Kirtley and Lewry struck in successive overs to remove the openers but Blewett and Smith played with increasing confidence until Mushtaq struck twice in three overs.

Blewett was caught at silly point propping forward and then Matthew Walker chopped onto his stumps trying to late cut the leg spinner's quicker ball.

This was Kirtley's day and not just for his bowling. He helped Lewry add 24 for Sussex's last wicket and has not been dismissed in four innings this season.

Sussex won by 133 runs