Incoming Kent director of cricket and existing bowling coach Simon Cook on being set to replace Paul Downton

Soon-to-be Kent director of cricket Simon Cook still thinks there is life in his coaching legs as he prepares to start his new role.

Bowling coach Cook is set to replace retiring Paul Downton from the start of next month.

But that doesn’t mean the coaching days of the 46-year-old, who has been in charge of Kent Spitfires’ One-Day Cup squad for the past two seasons, are behind him.

Asked if the director of cricket position was one he always envisaged taking up, he replied: “Yeah - at one point in my life.

“It was one of those things to go for and goals to try and achieve.

“Life is not so linear that you can always do things in the stages that you want to do them in. I still feel I have some life in my coaching legs as it were.

“But when this opportunity came up, it was an easy decision to go for this because I get the opportunity to mould this role how I want it.

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“So I’ll still be able to get my coaching fix if you like while being able to develop strategy and move the club forward.”

When applying for the role, Cook made it clear to Kent’s board his intention to remain involved with coaching, too, and explained how he felt his potential continued presence around the first-team dressing room could help improve relationships throughout the club’s pathway.

He said: “It was one of the things that I said right up front was that, if it was going to be me, with the way the role was going to be structured, I would still probably play an active part [in coaching].

“There’s two reasons for that. One is from a selfish point of view. I quite enjoy coaching and feel I can still make a difference with the bowlers in particular.

“But the second part of that is