Burden of history familiar to Adams

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Kent's "rich history" and the expectation that goes with it is nothing new to Jimmy Adams, centre, who led West Indies from 1999 to 2001

Jimmy Adams is no stranger to a prestigious heritage adding to the weight of expectation on him.

Adams led West Indies from 1999 to 2001 - a period in which the former world beaters experienced a downturn, culminating in a 5-0 Test whitewash to new top dogs Australia.

The 44-year-old two months ago became head coach at Kent, seven times winners of the County Championship but now languishing in Division Two.

Of his targets, promotion is “definitely one at the top of the list”, Adams exclusively told ecb.co.uk before revealing the determination among his staff to achieve that.

“I know it’s a county with a very rich history and the expectations here are fairly high,” he said.

“When you put those two together, there is a burning desire from everybody involved in the game here that they’d like to see the county back in the top half of the championship tables.

“It is something that you can’t get away from, but I think it’s a good thing that people have expectations of high standards.”

Adams can share that weight with the most experienced captain in county cricket. Rob Key first took the reins in 2006 and, having begun his professional career in 1998, knows the tricks of the trade.

“He’s what we call a banker,” Adams added. “He’s been around for a very long time - a very experienced captain but also a very good player as well.

“He's somebody who knows not only what happens here at Kent, but he’s been on the circuit a lot - a lot of information that he carries around with him - and it’s fantastic that the club have somebody like him in that position.”

Skipper Rob Key earned praise from Adams, who described him as "a very experienced captain but also a very good player as well"

Adams has inherited a squad shorn since last summer of the experienced Joe Denly, Martin van Jaarsveld and Robbie Joseph, but joined this winter by Charlie Shreck, Michael Powell and Ben Harmison.

Adams expects, in the main, to rely on the existing Kent players, but hopes to sign an overseas star.

“We’re still looking at doing that. The process continues; we haven’t signed off on anyone yet,” he revealed. “When the season starts what we have, give or take, we’ll be banking on them to get the job done.”

Financial constraints are an unavoidable factor in any acquisition, despite Kent’s operating profit of £188,000 last year.

“Like most counties, Kent have to balance books and everything is budget-related,” Adams continued. “I don’t think we’re any different - that we have any more or any less pressure than any other county.

“It is part of the process that has to be taken into consideration. It’s part and parcel of the game here in the UK. It’s nothing unusual for people involved.”

Kent’s purse-strings have not prevented them arranging a pre-season tour to Antigua for 10 days from Wednesday, a trip they will undertake without wicketkeeper-batsman Geraint Jones and off-spinner James Tredwell, who are on international duty.

Adams, born and raised in Jamaica, is happier about the opportunity to train outdoors than the possibility of catching up with Caribbean acquaintances.

“I’m looking forward to having the players hopefully get some interrupted time outside,” he said. “It’s been fantastic the effort that they’ve put in indoors, but indoors is indoors.

“At the end of the day it’s just an opportunity for the lads to get some time outside. Probably for some of them it will be the first time in a while so it’s a critical part of the planning phase.

“The fact that it’s in Antigua is good, in that I have some people there that I’ve known previously, but the main thing for me is that there’s a job for the lads and we need that time out there to get us going.”

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