It is too early to talk about a crisis in Sussex cricket.

But after back-to-back innings defeats for the first time in ten years the champions are certainly suffering from a crisis of confidence, particularly their batsmen.

There were plenty of supporters at Canterbury yesterday who cannot have seen their side bat as limply as they did for a long time. Not once either, but twice.

Their last three Championship innings have lasted 42.5, 33.3 and 42.5 overs respectively and facing the Cardiff UCCE student attack next week should offer welcome respite for their struggling batsmen.

Apart from Chris Adams' 42 in the first innings and Matt Prior's 35 in the second, no one scored more than 25. This on a pitch where Kent made 368 and which the umpires marked good'.

Things undoubtedly conspired against Sussex, not least the fact that they batted under overcast skies yesterday when the ball swung and did enough off the seam to plant doubt in the mind of batsmen whether to play forward or back.

But Kent's Matt Walker had shown on the first day that it was possible to prosper if you were patient and played as late as you could.

Too many of Sussex's strokemakers tried to dominate too early and they desperately missed Mike Yardy. Not only does he glue the top order together but, as a left-hander, he copes better with right-armers swinging the ball.

There can certainly be no excuse for the way both innings yesterday ended so quickly and to be fair to coach Mark Robinson he did not look for any as the inquests began.

Sussex lost their last six wickets for six runs in seven overs first time around and slumped from 118-5 to 160 all out in the afternoon.

It is a difficult time for Robinson who led his side to the double last year. He will back his players but he needs them to start performing more consistently.

He said: "I can take losing but we have to fight our corner a bit more than we did yesterday. It was like a pack of cards towards the end but it starts with the first batsman who walks in and finishes at No.11.

"We're not getting the breaks. We got a couple of bad decisions, we've got injuries and they took a couple of fantastic catches. Those are all things which happen when you are struggling but that's no excuse.

"The players are an honest bunch and prepared well for the game but now they have to show mental strength and turn things around."

There were a couple of bright spots to lift the gloom amid the carnage yesterday.

Chris Nash made 22 and 16 and was unlucky on both occasions. Darren Stevens took a fantastic catch at cover in the first innings and he got a ball which stopped on him in the second.

Adams played well for his 42 but no one stayed long enough with him to build any sort of partnership in the morning. And while it is easy to dissect their failings some credit must go to Kent who were savouring their first win in ten attempts against Sussex.

Yasir Arafat and Ryan McLaren each took four wickets and although Sussex hinted at a recovery when they reached 58-1 after following on 266 behind it was illusory.

Simon Cook was their destroyer second time around with a county-best 6-35, four of his wickets coming when he switched ends. Prior counter-attacked with eight fours before slashing wildly to slip and Robin Martin-Jenkins was unbeaten in both innings to add to his five-for on Wednesday.

His form with bat and ball was encouraging but that was about it and the sight of Rana and Lewry both batting with runners pretty much summed up a miserable two days.

The squad were allowed to lick their wounds today but they will be training tomorrow in preparation for Monday's FP Trophy game against Gloucestershire while the break from Championship cricket (their next game is not until May 17) has come at the perfect time.

How they bounce back from a dispiriting week will be interesting and will probably shape the destiny of the whole season.