Cricket manager Mark Robinson refused to condemn his batsmen despite a collapse which saw them lose six wickets for nine runs on the first day of their Championship game against Northamptonshire.

The county went from 166-4 to 175 all out in 7.2 overs before reducing their hosts to 117-5 on a day when 15 wickets fell.

Instead, Robinson was left questioning why a used pitch was being used even though the season is only six weeks old at Wantage Road.

He said: “The wicket is hard work for batsmen but we shouldn’t have been bowled out for 175.

“But if a team puts enough balls in the right place it looks like there are going to be a lot of wickets. That creates doubt in the mind of batsmen and that is when you make mistakes.

“We have consistently beaten the bat but I don’t know what to expect anymore after the way the season has started.

“You see a pitch which you think will be flat and it isn’t. It’s the second month of the season and we are starting on a used wicket. Why?”

Robinson was left to regret the absence of Monty Panesar who missed a return to his former county because he is playing for England Lions against Bangladesh today.

Robinson said: “If Monty had been available we would have played two spinners and that is not being detrimental to Will Beer. The pitch has been designed to counter him but it’s a great opportunity for Ollie Rayner.”