KENT CCC columnist BRAD PINARD is already alarmed by the Spitfires’ early struggles in the County Championship.

LAST week I remained optimistic Kent’s poor start to the County Championship was just a blip, but now I’m not so sure.

A thrashing at home to a fairly average Worcestershire side will have shocked the players and staff - and so it should.

Worcestershire unbelievably took just two days to dismantle Kent at Canterbury, with the Spitfires all out for a measly 63 runs in their pathetic second innings.

In-form Matt Coles (above) did at least do some damage with the ball by finishing with figures of 5-31, as well as smashing a quick-fire 21 with the tail.

But it was all in vain after a poor team display.

Championship Division Two is already looking beyond Kent after only a handful of games, but why have they struggled so much in the longer format of the game?

The weather has resulted in the bowlers being able to do some damage with the ball, as the seam pace men continuously blast through the Spitfires’ lower order.

You will struggle to find a Kent batsman who has impressed in Division Two this season and this has to be the reason behind the downfall.

Constant switching of the batting line-up, including the opening partners, has disrupted any sort of momentum which has been built up.

The bowlers are doing their job, but the lies of Rob Key, Sam Billings, Darren Stevens and Ben Harmison in the lower order have woefully underachieved in four-day cricket this season.

With no real strength in depth to the squad, coach Jimmy Adams has no alternative but to show faith in his batsmen but at least two of them need to find form and soon.

In stark contrast, another victory in the YB40 sees the Spitfires right up at the summit of Group A, as their one-day form continues to look good enough for a trophy this season.

The Twenty20 campaign is now not too far away and it seems this will be another season where the Championship falls down the pecking order in terms of importance and potential.

Being 10 points adrift at the foot of Division Two should be the only thing the Spitfires are focused on though and they a have crunch game with rivals Essex this week where defeat is out of the question.

International call-ups will now start to affect every county with only James Tredwell missing for the Spitfires.

It’s a chance to find some form and consistency as other sides have to switch their squads about.

A defeat this week though will leave the county in an untenable position.

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