Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Walker: We need to be more ruthless
Kent players need to be more ruthless and show more mental toughness as they seek to get their Championship campaign on track, according to assistant coach Matt Walker.
Kent followed up the disappointing Division 2 defeat at Worcestershire in their opening game with a frustrating draw against Leicestershire this week.
The rain-shortened game was choked to death by unambitious visitors who left Kent just 42 overs to chase down a victory target of 324 on the final afternoon on Wednesday.
Walker admitted: “Losing the first day takes so much time out of the game we were not able to set the game up as we’d like.
“We declared behind and were trying to be positive. It tells you something about us – we have a positive mindset and we want to get down to the business of winning games.”
Kent lost just two of their 16 LV= County Championship Division 2 games last season, but drew 11 – two more than anyone else.
Wa lker revealed “We’re trying to change the culture and win games. We want to send a positive message out to been getting in and then getting out. Nobody means to do it, but we’ve got to be more ruthless.
“The majority of batsmen are in a good place and hitting the ball nicely, but some need that tougher mindset.
“When we see an opportunity we have to take it – whether that’s turning fifties into hundreds or bowling in the right areas, when we have a team on the ropes we really need to put our foot on their neck.”
He added: “It’s early but there seems to be a buzz and attitude that we mean business.”
One high has been impact of overseas paceman Doug Bollinger, with Walker adding: “He’s been great, he’s given us a real boost around the place and been a real positive already.”
Kent have an enforced break with their next action not until the Championship visit of Surrey to Canterbury on May 4.
Walker said: “It’s not great to have that amount of time off when everyone’s fresh at this stage of the season, ideally you want to get on a roll, but it is what it is. We have got to get some white ball practice in with t20 coming up, so that will be part of our focus.”