Key praises departing Cook

Kent captain Rob Key has praised departing seamer Simon Cook for his hard work both on and off the pitchduring the past seven years.

Cook signed from Middlesexduring the winter of 2004, making his debut for Kent the following summer – last week the 35 year-old captained the Second XI as they won the County Championship against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

Nicknamed 'The Chef', Cook played his last senior game for Kent as they bowed out of the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition against Sussex at Canterbury on August 27th.

The seamer had forced his way back into the reckoning for first-class cricket this season and was part of the side that played the washout match against Gloucestershire at Bristol last month.

Cook went about his business both on and off the pitch with a calm attitude and it was that characteristicwhichled Kent skipper Rob Key to heap praise on the seamer; “Cookie has always been an understated part of our side. He’s gone about his business quietly and he’s been brilliant for our Club. For the vast majority of his career, him and James Tredwell were the main reason for our success in Twenty20 when we were at our best, even though we had the likes of Justin Kemp and Martin van Jaarsveld who probably took the billing at times.

“Simon Cook was probably on the under card, but churned them out day in, day out, especially in that form of the game and without him I don’t think we would have won that trophy.

“He’s also been brilliant for what he has given the side away from the cricket, and people won’t really have seen what he has done off the field. It’s a shame that he didn't get to bow out at Canterbury, but it’s brilliant that he got to do it as captain of the second team and win that Championship.

“I can’t really say enough about what it’s been like to play with him, because he has been a fantastic member of our side and one of the best I’ve ever played with.

“He’s had a good career and he deserves a lot of credit and for me wherever he ends up, he will be successful in what he does as he is that kind of guy.”

In a first-class career spanning 13 years and 141 matches, Cook took 342 wickets at an average of 32.14. He also scored 2,577 useful lower order runs including 7 fifties.

Cook was awarded his county cap at Kent in 2007, the year he also took a leading role in Kent’s successful Twenty20 campaign. Always maintaining a good line and length, his economy rate of 7.52 complimented a strike rate of 18.01 at a very respectable average of 22.57.

Rob Key was speaking to Steve Wolfe of KSN