Kent Spitfires’ Jack Leaning on developing his bowling during One Day Cup, changing his batting approach and captaincy

Jack Leaning’s bowling has helped reignite Kent Spitfires’ One Day Cup campaign - but the skipper still finds it difficult to bring himself on to bowl.

The affable 29-year-old has proved himself more than a part-time spinner in victories over Surrey and Middlesex, reeling 10 overs off at the top of each innings to return figures of 0-37 and 2-36.

It’s set the tone for two victories which have boosted holders Kent’s chances of reaching the knockout stages.

“It sounds a bit ridiculous having bowled 10 straight through in the last two games but I find it very difficult to bowl myself as a captain,” said Leaning.

“But if I can get through overs at the start in a tough period, it certainly gives our front-line spinners much more freedom to bowl during the middle overs.

“There’s a couple of times where I was going to take myself off, and was encouraged to carry on bowling as it was going nicely. We just kept taking wickets at quite regular intervals and it just happened in the last few games there’s been a few left-handers so it’s been a decent match-up for me to carry on going.

“It’s something I took on in T20 a lot in the last year or so, predominantly this year, and it’s something I feel like I’m getting better and better at.”

Leaning has 28 first-class wickets to his name, 12 in List-A cricket and 21 in T20s.

The sight of him bowling regularly might be new to followers of the county circuit, but it’s always been something that he’s worked on.

“I’ve got 61 professional wickets now,” said Leaning. “My target was to finish with 100 but if things carry on as they’re going hopefully it will be a few more.

“It's something I’ve always worked hard on but it’s something I’ve had more of an opportunity to do at Kent.

“Obviously at