Retiring Kent director of cricket Paul Downton expected to be replacement Simon Cook’s right-hand man up until Christmas - not that he knows it yet!

Retiring Kent director of cricket Paul Downton is expected to be his replacement’s right-hand man up until Christmas - not that he knows it yet!

Downton, now 66, will call it a day at the end of the season to be replaced by Simon Cook.

Bowling coach Cook will officially take on the role from October 1 but hopes Downton is still prepared to help him at the start of the close season as he begins planning for 2024.

“He’ll, obviously, have a big influence, certainly in the next six weeks,” Cook said.

“I start on October 1. Then, we have got a transition period of a month together.

“He’s only down the road and says he’ll be on the end of the phone if ever I need him - which, undoubtedly, I will.

“He’s going to be my right-hand man probably up until Christmas… not that he knows that! But I expect I’ll be on the phone to him quite a bit.”

Downton became Kent’s first director of cricket in 2018.

Since his appointment, they have won two major trophies - the T20 Blast tournament in 2021 and last year’s One-Day Cup - while promotion to County Championship Division 1 was achieved.

His tenure could end on a sour note, however, with Matt Walker’s men battling to avoid Division 1 relegation.

But Cook thinks Downton’s time should be considered a success.

He said: “If you look at the success we’ve had over the last six or seven years, there’s no doubt we have been successful.

“There’s been a couple of trophies, a couple of finals and a promotion to Division 1. I think, regardless of what happens in the last three weeks, you can say that the pro staff has been left in a strong position.

“We’re slightly on a downward slope.

“We’ve had a couple of key players leaving - Darren Stevens leaves a very big hole and then there’s Ollie Robinson