BATTING hero Chris Cooke believes Glamorgan can still make the knockout stages of the Royal London Cup thanks to their remarkable three-wicket victory against Kent on Tuesday evening.

The hosts looked condemned to defeat in Cardiff when, in pursuit of a 318, they needed 95 runs from 46 balls.

However, Cooke played a superb innings to see them home with an innings of 94, Glamorgan scoring 104 runs from the final eight overs.

After starting the competition on minus two points because of a deduction for a poorly prepared pitch last season, defeat would have been terminal.

But Glamorgan are now on one point after a rain-affected draw against Nottinghamshire on Sunday with another crunch game against Essex in Cardiff on Friday.

"I don't see why we can't get through in this competition," said Cooke. "We are into the red now after starting the competition on minus two.

"Hampshire started on minus two before and ended up topping the group. Cricket is a strange game and when you get that winning habit back you don't know what happens."

Reflecting on his wonderful innings, which combined lusty blows with well-placed shots and excellent running, Cooke said: "That felt pretty special. I haven't been striking them as well as I would have liked to recently but I always try to back myself at the end of an innings.

"With the modern 50-over cricket, the target was possible. It had been set-up by Colin (Ingram, whose struck a century) so there had been a good platform laid."

The game looked up when Cooke was caught and bowled by Ivan Thomas on 52 but the batsman was asked to linger by the umpire and television footage showed that the Kent man had nothing behind the line.

"I had a bit of luck with the no-ball," admitted Cooke. "That was a bit of a turning point but you need a bit of luck if you are going to chase more than 300.

"As soon as I hit it I knew I was out and then I was walking off the field, I thought I better get in my crease in case it was a no-ball. And it was a no-ball, which was fortunate."

Kent amassed a total of 317 for seven with Darren Stevens hitting a majestic 110 off 64 balls after Sam Northeast and Sam Billings had laid the foundations with a partnership of 104 in 18 overs for the third wicket.

Prior to Cooke's late onslaught, his fellow South African Colin Ingram helped keep Glamorgan in touch with 109 off 106 balls.

Will Bragg, in his first one day game of the season, also played his part with a well-constructed 59 alongside Ingram.

Long-serving wicketkeeper Mark Wallace will remember holding an edge from Alex Blake to record his 1,000th dismissal for Glamorgan in all cricket - a career that started against Somerset in a championship game 16 years ago.