Glamorgan fell to a 69-run loss against Essex Eagles at Chelmsford in the penultimate match of their Vitality Blast campaign as the home side wracked up a mammoth 254/5.
In reply, Sam Northeast, who was captaining the side for the first time in the absence of David Lloyd, did his best to hold the Glamorgan innings together as he smashed 97* from just 56 balls but the Welsh county fell well short of the target.
"It was one of those nights where it was pretty brutal for quite a bit of it. Essex played really well but we will take a lot out of that," said Northeast.
"It is all about clarity and sticking to that plan if they believe in it and then knowing the difference between a bad plan and a bad execution. When they are missing by fractions and it is going out the park it is tough and you aren't getting much back. I had to keep backing them and make sure that they know it is a good ball that disappeared.
"The England team have set the bar high and young players coming into the game are pushing us to get better. We now think that 250 is not far now, it is very gettable. The bar is being raised every year.
"I don't really know what I was thinking off the final ball. I thought he was going to go wide again and I had another swing but it wasn't to be."