Head coach Matt Walker thinks there’s still more than enough time for Kent to defy those who predicted they would suffer County Championship relegation this summer.

Many tipped Kent to go down from Division 1 after they avoided the drop by the narrowest of margins last year.

But, having suffered an innings home loss to rivals Essex on Bank Holiday Monday, Kent concluded their first batch of red-ball games this season at the foot of the table and nine points behind third-bottom Worcestershire.

Walker, who saw Australian fast bowler Wes Agar sustain a shoulder injury against Essex, said: “We knew we would probably be the bookies’ favourites to go down from the start - we don’t believe that in the dressing room - because we’re very confident of our own ability.

“But we do have to show it. It’s not just about talking about it, we have got to put that on the page and try to prove some people wrong.

“There’s plenty of time left in the season.

“There’s seven games to go and plenty more points to be had, plenty more games to try and win, and sides are beating each other quite frequently in this division. We have got to make sure we hang in there.

“If you put two or three wins on the board in the next four or five, it’s a very different complexion. We have got to believe we can do that.

“We need some more fit bodies and, with Charlie Stobo arriving, that gives us a bit of extra quality. Beyers (Swanepoel) is here all year and we will see how Wes shapes up after further investigation of his shoulder.

“If we come into those Championship games in the middle of the Blast with a relatively fit side, I think we have got every chance.

“There’s still a long way to go yet. We have played some pretty good cricket.

“We haven’t turned that into enough points, we have not turned them into enough wins and certainly, in the last few weeks, we have found ourselves in positions where it’s very difficult to win games of cricket.

“But we have to try and switch that around, so we’re the ones putting pressure on the other side.

“That comes from the same old answer, really, of starting really well in games and keep delivering that skill throughout the first part of the match.”

Walker conceded injuries preventing Kent from getting their best attack on the field consistently has contributed to their red-ball problems so far this season.

“This is hard cricket and there’s some good sides in here,” he added. “We have found ourselves scrapping in the last couple of seasons.

“We know we’re not a big county, we know our resources aren’t like most in this division. We know that we need to have our best team on the park more often than not, which we haven’t been able to do this season, with injuries.

“Losing Wes mid-game hasn’t helped the situation.

“I don’t want to sound like we’re feeling sorry for ourselves but we know, if we can have our frontline attack out there most weeks - or at least a combination of it - we can really challenge and win games of cricket. We have had it once this season, maybe twice.

“That’s nothing on the other lads.

“But it’s tough cricket when you’re playing against some really fine sides, who have match winners, experience, quality and international cricketers that we face every day of the week.

“We know it’s a challenge.”

A strong Kent 2nds side beat Essex 2nds in a T20 friendly at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Zak Crawley’s 83 off 36 balls helped them post a massive 214-9 before spinner Marcus O’Riordan (3-34) and South African overseas all-rounder Beyers Swanepoel (2-25) helped limit the away team to 170-8.