Coach Jimmy Adams says there is “positive energy” around Kent as they prepare to play their only pre-season friendly of the spring when they face Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Tuesday.

The two-day match against last year’s LV= County Championship Division 2 champions will begin at 11am on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Adams claiming he is keen to take the game seriously.

He said: “There is a lot of positive energy around the place and hopefully everyone is looking forward to getting going.

“We have the Hampshire game and the University game but those are our only real opportunities for red-ball cricket before the start of the season. We wanted to get a couple of days of white ball cricket in as well, either before or after, which would have been a bonus and given us the chance to look at lads in a different form but it’s not been possible.”

He added: “We have a good squad and a lot of healthy competition for places but I wouldn’t have thought we’d see many more than 11 players in the first game because you want it to be a serious game and not become a farce.

“Selections will be weighed-up based upon a lot of factors, including form in the nets and historic and recent contributions to the team.”

The only other first-team action before the season-opener at Essex on Sunday, April 19, is the three-day University game against Loughborough MCCU at Canterbury, beginning on Sunday, April 12.

A combined Kent and Northamptonshire team will play Warwickshire in a 2nd XI friendly at The County Ground, Beckenham, on April 15.