Adam Hollioake insists he’s a better coach for his first season in charge of Kent – as he spoke in depth about the challenges he faced.
It was a largely disappointing campaign for Hollioake, who saw the county come bottom of County Championship Division 2, failing to build upon wins in each of their first two red-ball games of the summer.
Kent Spitfires progressed to the Vitality T20 Blast knockout stages, only to be beaten by Lancashire Lightning in the quarter-finals at Old Trafford by three wickets, while they also didn’t progress to the knockout stages of the One-Day Cup – instead blooding several young players into the first-team squad.
Head coach Hollioake was supported by bowling coach Robbie Joseph and, while director of cricket Simon Cook, himself a former Kent bowling coach, has always adopted a hands-on approach, that was largely the extent of the coaching support Hollioake was afforded.
“If you had taken any coach in the world, they would have found that challenging,” said the 54-year-old former England captain. “But it can only make you stronger.
“The most I learnt as a player is when I had bad seasons. I went away, de-briefed, looked at what I did wrong and what I did right, and what I needed to improve on. I asked the players to look at what they did last season and go away and improve, and I did the same.
“Whatever I have done in my life – whether it be cricket, business or boxing – I have always gone away, looked at what I have done and tried to improve it. That’s just one of the principles of success.
“So, 100 per cent, last year has helped me to reflect and to try to become a better coach this year.”
It’s a different story this season, though, where Pakistani coach Jaahid Ali and veteran batting all-rounder Joe Denly will assist Kent’s batsmen.
Legendary former Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens and bowling coach Sam Faulkner will work together in support of the bowling unit.
Hollioake said: “Jaahid Ali has come in as lead batting coach and has got good pedigree from Pakistan. He has done a great job with the guys over the winter.
“With the bowlers, we have got the Kent legend Darren Stevens and Sam Faulkner. They’re going to pair up to do that.
“Stevo is coming in and doing 70 days a year with us so he’ll get a couple of sessions per week in with the boys during the summer, and having him around the group has been great, as well. Sam is going to be with us every single day, just facilitating Stevo’s ideas.
“It’s been good having an extra set of hands around training, as well, and not doing everything on my own!”
Hollioake believes he has been able to put his own stamp on things over the close season.
He added: “I was putting out bush-fires all year! I was trying to be batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach, psychologist and everything all in one.
“But this year, I feel like we’ve got a good team in place and we’re heading in the right direction. It’s all talk at the moment. Until the games start, it doesn’t mean anything but I feel like we’re starting in a better position.
“Sport throws up a variety of things. It might throw up five injuries in the first week – you just don’t know – and that’s why we love it because of the unknown.
“But we feel like we’re prepared and as ready as we’re going to be to tackle all eventualities.”
Former England international Denly, now 40, is into his 20th season as a Kent player – his first in a batting mentorship role, with his playing commitments centred around the T20 Blast – with injury-plagued seam bowler Matt Quinn also taking on a coaching position.
“He’s very valued,” said Hollioake on Denly. “He’s well-respected here and the players love him.
“Quinn, one of the senior bowlers, is taking on a bit of a coaching role. Part of my job as a coach is to create coaches for the future.
“Once my time is done, hopefully, these guys can step up and take over – whether that’s as a consultant coach, a batting coach, a bowling coach or even as the head coach. It’s creating competition among the coaches to improve.
“Jaahid and Sam Faulkner will be thrown into the hat for that, as well, so I’m really happy with where the coaching staff is at.”
Kent will start the final day of their last three-day pre-season friendly 31-2 in the second innings against Oxford UCCE today, with a 276-run lead.
They dismissed Oxford UCCE for a first-innings score of 157 as overseas South African bowler Keith Dudgeon (2-12), quick Mikey Cohen (2-12), seam bowler Matt Milnes (2-17) and all-rounder Joey Evison (2-21) got among the wickets on Sunday.
