Interim Kent Spitfires head coach Simon Cook reacts to 264-run defeat to Leicestershire Foxes in One Day Cup at Beckenham

Interim Kent head coach Simon Cook described their woeful run chase against Leicestershire as “timid” on Sunday.

One Day Cup holders Spitfires were skittled out for 116 in reply to the Foxes’ 380-5 on a good batting track at Beckenham.

They never got off to a quick start, only captain Jack Leaning showed any attacking intent but his dismissal sparked a collapse that Kent never recovered from.

“I was a little bit disappointed that we were a bit timid in how we went out and approached that score,” said Cook.

“I’d rather have got bowled out for 116 really trying to take it on, where actually we were a bit soft in a few dismissals there.

“We want to be playing smart, positive and fearless cricket and in the face of a large total like that, that’s the only way you can go about it. That’s what we’re going to take into the next game.”

Cook was impressed with his team’s control during the middle overs of Leicestershire’s innings but admitted their shortcomings either side of that spell.

“We didn’t execute very well, top and tail of our bowling innings,” said Cook. “I felt we didn’t hold length anywhere near for long enough.

“They showed that if you got the ball in decent areas there’s enough bounce and carry in the pitch to cause a few problems.

“At the end we were a bit predictable with the yorkers, we didn’t have our ratio of yorkers to variation balls just to keep people thinking. I think we got lined up a little bit which allowed the scoreboard to escalate.

“I thought our middle innings period was outstanding, we had a period of 20 overs outside the first 10 overs when we had them 94-3 in that period and we created two extra chances as well.

“There was an opportunity there to restrict them to 320-330 which would have been a