Jimmy Adams says it is Kent’s players rather than the pitch who were to blame for their defeat inside three days in the season opener at Essex.

Kent allowed positions of strength to ebb away more than once in a game where 33 wickets fell inside two days – although no cricket liaison officers, the new name for pitch inspectors, were called to inspect the Chelmsford track.

Coach Adams admitted: “It wasn’t the start we wanted,” but added: “The pitch was the same for both teams. They just played better than we did at the key moments.

“It was seamer-friendly throughout the game. I have no issue with the pitch, it was just a First Class wicket and you see them from time-to-time around the circuit.”

The former West Indies skipper instead turned the focus on his side, who put down at least five catchable chances over the two innings, while contributing almost a sixth of Essex’s second innings target by way of extras.

Adams said: “I don’t want to sound like a broken record but once again we got ourselves to the point of having opportunities at critical moments in the game but then we can’t grab them.

“The difference in the result is that they grabbed their opportunities and we did not.

“We are in the business of playing winning cricket, but we didn’t do it. We are aiming to drum belief into them that they can do that. It’s an ongoing thing.

“It’s not all doom and gloom. Darren Stevens and Sam Northeast batted well, they were positives we can take, and a couple of others got starts.

“There were spells too where every one of the bowlers looked good. We can certainly take things out of the game and we have to learn from others.”

Kent face a second testing away game when they head to Old Trafford to face Lancashire on Sunday – though the weather looks set to play a part.

Adams added: “We have another 15 games and we go into every game looking to win it.

“It would be good to get an away win, it’s always special to get a result away before we come back to play our first home game, but Lancashire are a good team and it will be a challenge for us.”