The spectators basking in glorious sunshine at the St. Helens ground in Swansea were treated to a feast of runs- 697 in all- and two exhilarating centuries by Colin Ingram and Darren Stevens.

Ingram struck his century from 78 balls, but that was pedestrian compared to Stevens who smashed 147 from only 67 deliveries. While Stevens was at the crease, Kent were favourites, but after his dismissal, Glamorgan’s bowlers stuck to their task to win by 15 runs, with 16 balls remaining.

Thirty five sixes were struck in the match which equalled the record for a List  A game, set in the game  at Trent Bridge between Northants and Notts last year.

After Glamorgan were asked to bat, their innings was built around Will Bragg and Colin Ingram who put on 212 for the third wicket after they had lost two wickets in three balls. Ingram continued his outstanding form in the competition by scoring his third century-two in successive games. His innings came from 98 balls, which included six fours and eight sixes, and during the eight games, the South African left hander has hit 29 sixes and 31 fours.

Bragg, who achieved his career best score, gave his only chance on 88, and was only six runs away from his maiden century, when he chipped Calum Haggett to cover. The lower middle order also made worthwhile contributions, with Chris Cooke hitting a rapid 36, and Andrew Salter, who struck Ivan Thomas for three successive sixes in the last over, hitting 29 from only nine balls.

Kent needed to score at 7.1 runs an over, and they lost Daniel Bell- Drummond in the eighth over, when he bottom- edged Marchant De Lange to the wicketkeeper. Joe Denly and and Sam Northeast took the score to 75, before both were dismissed in David Lloyd’s second over. Stevens then started his ferocious attack on the Glamorgan attack, and greeted Ingram by hitting him for 32 in his two overs. He quickly moved to 50 from 28 balls, and it took the 41-year-old Stevens only 20 more balls to reach his 100, which included 10 sixes and six fours.

The fourth wicket pair had put on 131 in just 13 overs, before Sam Billings, who had contributed only 24 to the partnership, was well caught on the long leg boundary. There was no respite from Stevens who, when he struck his 14th six, recorded the most maximum hits by an opposing batsman against Glamorgan in List A games. He was eventually out, caught athletically caught by De Lange on the mid-wicket boundary, and left to a standing ovation from the sizeable crowd.

The Glamorgan seamers, relieved to see the back of Stevens, then picked up three more wickets, as Alex Blake and Calum Haggett were caught by Cooke behind the wicket, and Matt Coles was run out  from a direct hit by Salter.  Kent required 57 from the last 10 overs, but Charlie Hartley was bowled by Lloyd, who picked up his fifth wicket, and finish with 5/53, his best figures in limited overs cricket, before James Tredwell was run out attempting a run to the wicketkeeper.

Darren Stevens, who struck a career best 147, described his innings as “a bit of a blur- and I will have a 6 hour journey on the way home to think about it!”

“It was shame not to win, especially as all the boys can bat, and with only 16 runs separating the sides, I suspect we should have won.”

“But as a spectacle, it must have been a terrific game to watch with 35 sixes struck”

Glamorgan’s David Lloyd, who captured a career best 5/53, said “it was a tough pitch to bowl on, especially when Darren Stevens was in such form.”

“But we kept on fighting, and we knew we had to take wickets if we had any chance of winning. It was very pleasing to a career best, and I will just keep on learning.”

Glamorgan Team: JA Rudolph, DL Lloyd, WD Bragg, KS Carlson, CA Ingram, CB Cooke, CAJ Meschede, AG Salter, T van der Gugten, M de Lange, LJ Carey

Kent Team: DJ Bell-Drummond, JL Denly, SA Northeast, DI Stevens, AJ Blake, SW Billings, MT Coles, JC Tredwell, CF Hartley, CJ Haggett, IAA Thomas