Jimmy Adams says Kent’s appearances in knock-out games over the past two seasons have given the players an appetite for more big occasions.

Kent reached the quarter-finals of both the NatWest T20 Blast and Royal London One Day Cup last season, having been beaten in the last four of the 50-over competition in 2014.

Many feel Kent failed to do themselves justice on each occasion but head coach Adams genuinely feels the players are better for the experience.

He said: “I like the fact that we have a group of kids who are hungry. They’ve started to embrace what it feels like to be in front of 8,000 people at Somerset (Taunton), 6,000 here (at Canterbury) and a full house at The Oval and to perform under that sort of scrutiny which is important.

“You see it sort of whetting their appetite. They want a bit more and therefore when you try to pull more out of them, it’s given willingly because they’ve had a taste of what it feels like to be on the big stage.”

Adams says the signing of overseas duo Kagiso Rabada and Tom Latham will undoubtedly raise supporters’ expectations but he feels that is not necessarily a bad thing.

He added: “I think if the expectations are to perform and to perform consistently, then I’ll accept that. All these players are hoping to become individuals and a unit that operates on that level of expectation.

“They don’t want to be just turning up to play and I don’t think that is what the club wants either.”