SOMERSET boosted their bid to win the County Championship for the first time in their history when they beat Kent by eight wickets at Taunton on Monday afternoon. At the start of the match Somerset were put into bat and after losing Dickson without a run on the board Matt Renshaw and Tom Lammonby added 75 together before the Aussie opener was out for 40. Lammonby helped the score onto 172 when he was out for 69. Tom Banton and James Rew then joined forces and dominated proceedings for the next 42 overs before Banton went for 133, his career best after adding 205 together for the fifth wicket. Rew remained to see up the 400 before he was out for 114.. Lewis Gregory weighed in with 77 before the hosts were all out for 554 off 120.1 overs. When Kent replied the home bowlers made the most of the conditions to bowl them out for 178, Craig Overton taking three for 38 and Migael Pretorius three for 52, while the returning Jack Leach claimed two for 22.. Following on 376 in arrears Kent openers Zak Crawley and Ben Compton added 141 for the first wicket before occasional off spinner Matt Renshaw accounted for the latter. Crawley was joined by Daniel Bell-Drummond and the pair put on 184 together before the latter was leg before wicket to Leach for 62. Two further wickets fell before the end of the third day including Crawley who batted for over six hours for his 238 which came off 267 balls and included 31 fours and four sixes. Resuming on 409 for five on the final morning the remaining Kent batters continued until just before tea time before they were all out for 564, Denly being the last wicket to fall after scoring 67. Pretorius was the pick of the Somerset bowlers ending with three for 110 from 25 overs. Chasing a total of 189 for victory Somerset at four runs an over the hosts lost Dickson for six and Lammonby for 30 before going into tea on 60 for two. Andy Umeed joined Renshaw and together the pair brought up the 100 in the 27th over. The two remained together and batted sensibly as they eased their way closer to the winning target. With 30 needed for victory Umeed went to his 50 off 82 balls with five fours and at the same time brought up the century partnership between the two of them. Eventually it was Umeed who ended things in style with a big six over long on to see Somerset to 194 for two with 10 overs to spare, Renshaw  ending unbeaten on 82 while Umeed remained not out 73 - his championship best for Somerset.