Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke impress as Glamorgan see off Kent

Glamorgan’s leading run-scorers in T20 cricket, Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke, secured victory in the Vitality Blast for a second successive match.

The pair shared an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 109 runs, after Eddie Byrom had set a strong platform, as Glamorgan chased down a target of 190 to beat Kent by seven wickets with 18 balls remaining in Cardiff.

The visitors’ innings had a strong start thanks to a career-best score of 62 from Tawanda Muyeye and a powerful finish thanks to their lower order. However, a stutter in the middle overs prevented them setting a truly competitive total.

This win was Glamorgan’s third from four matches while Kent now have two wins and two losses.

The hosts were put into bat and it looked as if Glamorgan had made the wrong call as Daniel Bell-Drummond and Muyeye raced along inside the powerplay.

Muyeye was the main aggressor as 63 runs were scored off the first six overs, with Jamie McIlroy and Zain-ul-Hassan struggling to keep the Kent openers under control.

Leg-spinner

The introduction of Australian leg-spinner Peter Hatzoglou brought Glamorgan back into the game. He made the breakthrough with his sixth ball when he bowled Bell-Drummond for 19 when the opener attempted a slog sweep.

Joe Denly attempted to keep the momentum going, getting off the mark with a massive six over the midwicket boundary.

However, the attempt to inject some impetus did not last long with Denly’s dismissal the first of three in the space of just 10 runs as Hatzoglou and Prem Sisodiya did a good job of pinning down the Kent middle-order to bring themselves back into the game. When Muyeye departed his team were 103 for four after 11 overs with two new batters at the crease.

Jordan Cox, Jack Leaning and George Linde did a fantastic job of covering up the cracks caused by that cluster of wickets as they all made meaningful contributions in helping Kent reach 189 for six.

Cox’s innings was the most eventful, especially when he offered two catching chances to Kiran Carlson off two successive deliveries, neither of which were claimed by the Glamorgan captain.

The hosts made a similarly quick start to their innings, with Byrom scoring 43 out of a 51-run opening stand with Sam Northeast.

Byrom smashed 20 runs from Wes Agar’s first over, and despite the bowler hitting his helmet he managed to guide the ball immediately after the blow over third man for six.

Grant Stewart was given similarly brutal treatment and had conceded 19 runs from his first five balls before he had Byrom caught by Cox at mid-on.

The one Kent bowler who kept things under control in the powerplay was Michael Hogan, back in Cardiff for the first time since his departure from Glamorgan over the winter.

Welsh cricket supporters were given a reminder of what they lost when Hogan made the decision to finish his career at Kent when his two powerplay overs brought just seven runs and the wicket of Northeast.

A truly remarkable catch by Agar at fine leg ended Carlson’s innings but that brought together Cooke and Ingram who got themselves set before taking the game away from Kent in a stand that was professionally managed.

Both batters were happy to take boundaries when they were offered and singles when the ball was not there to be hit.

A no ball from Agar took Glamorgan to their victory target with three overs to spare, as Kent failed to find any answers to the Cooke and Ingram partnership.