Essex need to start putting some pride into their T20 Blast performances, says captain Simon Harmer.

Sunday’s six-wicket hammering by Middlesex was their fourth successive loss at the start of the campaign and leaves them bottom of the South Group.

“We need to find ways to win games of cricket and if we’re brutally honest we haven’t been good enough,” said Harmer after the defeat at Chelmsford.

“Coming off the back of the four-day stuff into the T20s we were probably a bit rusty in the first couple of games but for the last two there are no excuses.”

Essex opened their campaign with a 106-run loss to Hampshire before eight-wicket and six-wicket defeats by Somerset and Glamorgan respectively.

“We need to be better in all departments – as a team and an individual you need to find ways to change the momentum and you do that by winning games of cricket, by scoring a hundred, taking wickets,” said Harmer.

“I truly believe we’re a lot better than what we’re displaying – we could have been smarter how we went about our business (against Middlesex) and we need to start putting up our hands and putting some pride into our performances and into the badge.”

Essex are next in action at home to Glamorgan on Thursday before a trip to Sussex 24 hours later.