Kent chief executive Jamie Clifford admits there is pressure on coach Jimmy Adams to improve fortunes in four-day cricket after “a very average set of results” this summer.

Mr Clifford had mixed emotions over the campaign as a whole, revealing the year had been hugely successful off the field but tinged with disappointment on it, though he predicted improved cricketing fortunes in 2016.

Mr Clifford claimed it had been “a bumper year and one we can be very proud of”. He added: “On the field the season was not without high points, too, particularly in white-ball cricket, but the County Championship has been very disappointing in comparison. We should be giving a better account of ourselves.

“Jimmy knows what his role is,” said Mr Clifford. “As a club we are hungry for success in all formats, we don’t want to specialise in white-ball cricket and we have got to maintain pressure to try and deliver those results.”

After a third-bottom finish in Division 2 and four wins in 16 games this summer, Mr Clifford said: “Championship success is the Holy Grail for us and it is based upon consistency, day in, day out. The captain and coaching staff strive for that.

“You can bowl a side out for under 100 five times in a season and it would be great, but if you can bowl teams out for under 250 every time then you’re likely to be competing up there where we want to be.

“In white-ball cricket we are right up there in consistency of performance, but we are a county cricket club that wants to deliver on three fronts.

“Our playing group are a year older and wiser, they have had to swallow some bitter pills this summer and that has registered. It hurt them and hopefully next year we will see how it has galvanised them.

“It’s been a very good year for the club, but things could be even better if we had a winning team.”