Kent win by seven wickets at the SWALEC Stadium

After the loss of fifteen wickets on day one, a dozen had tumbled yesterday as batting appeared to be an easier proposition under the thinner cloud cover, with Glamorgan ending the second day 220 runs ahead and with three wickets remaining in what had become a finely balanced contest. The home side knew that a further thirty or forty runs might decisively tip the balance in their favour, whilst the visiting attack were eager to finish off the spirited Glamorgan resistance which had thwarted their efforts in ending the innings last night. Indeed, the final over of play yesterday had seen Charlie Shreck, largely out of frustration deliver a series of bouncers and short balls to the doughty Dean Cosker, who together with teenager Ruaidhri Smith, had added 33 in 7.1 overs for the eighth wicket.

With the new ball a dozen overs away, Darren Stevens and Calum Haggett resumed the bowling, but the new cherry was not needed to end the Glamorgan innings as with his seventh delivery of the morning Stevens removed Cosker, without a run having been added to the overnight total, as he scythed a ball into Brendan Nash's hands at backward point. Two balls later he clean bowled Michael Hogan before Smith was nearly caught at mid-off as he miscued a blow against Haggett. The youngster made no mistake three balls later as he bludgeoned the bowler to long-on for six, before next over he despatched the seamer over mid-off for four. Adam Riley then returned to the attack and ended the innings on 258 as Reed drove to mid-on.

This left Kent with a target of 242 to win in a minimum of 180 overs, and they began their chase with two Glamorgan bowlers close to personal milestones with Dean Cosker needing two more wickets to reach the 500-mark in first-class cricket for the Welsh county, whilst Michael Hogan took to the field with 91 wickets to his name in all games - both first-class and limited overs - for the Club, needing nine more to be the first to the century mark since Michael Kasprowicz in 2003.

Hogan was soon into action with Reed, with the latter being struck for a couple of leg-side fours by Rob Key before Sam Northeast cut Hogan square for another boundary. Hogan then switched to the Cathedral Road End as Jim Allenby came on at the River End, but Key continued to find the ropes as he off-drove the Australian for another four. Northeast also cover drove Allenby for four before Key leg-glanced Smith's first delivery to the ropes, and when Reed switched to the River End he nearly had Key caught at second slip by chris Cooke as the fielder almost completed a superb diving catch one-handed to his right.

Rob Key and Sam Northeast had guided Kent to 49/0 at lunch and the former duly brought up the fifty stand in the first over after the interval as he clipped Mike Reed to square-leg for four. But three overs later, Reed made the breakthrough as Murray Goodwin scooped a good catch at mid-wicket as the opener tried to repeat the stroke.

With Kent on 57/1, Daniel Bell-Drummond replaced Key out in the middle as Ruaidhri Smith also bowled a probing spell at the Cathedral Road End to keep the visitor's in check. After playing and missing several times, the new batsman drilled Smith through extra cover before on-driving him for a second four.

Michael Hogan then returned at the Cathedral Road End, whilst Dean Cosker entered the fray at the River End. Bell-Drummond greeted the return of the Australian by cover-driving him for four whilst Northeast swept the spinner for four as Kent continued their serene progress and reached the 100-mark in the 37th over. Will Bragg also had a brief trundle at the Cathedral Road End in a bid to break the stand before Jim Allenby returned to the attack.

Shortly before tea, Northeast completed his patient half-century, from 150 balls but just before the break Cosker had Bell-Drummond caught behind for 30.

Resuming after tea on 134/2 and needing a further 108 runs to win the remaining for sessions, Sam Northeast and Brendon Nash had no worries about the amount of time remaining, whilst Glamorgan knew that a clutch of wickets were needed if they were to prevent the English county from completing a three-day victory. Mike Reed and Michael Hogan duly returned to the attack with the latter being pulled for four by Nash who then off-drove Reed before cutting the tall pace bowler through backward point besides flicking him to long-leg for another four.

The boundaries kept flowing as Northeast pulled Hogan for four, before Nash drilled the Australian to cover point to bring up the fifty stand. Northeast also pulled a short ball from Reed to the ropes at mid-wicket before doing the same to Hogan. The flurry of runs prompted the return of Dean Cosker and Ruaidhri Smith as Kent reached the 200-mark in the 63rd over but with the total on 211, Northeast's sober innings ended as he was bowled by Dean Cosker to give the spinner his 500th wicket for the county in first-class cricket.

Nash though remained in assertive mode and drilled Smith straight for four to complete a 61-ball fifty and together with Ben Harmison they eased Kent to their target in the 73rd over.