Cooke record ton sees Glamorgan beat Middlesex

Middlesex's Pieter Malan is bowled by Peter Hatzoglou of Glamorgan

Chris Cooke hit Glamorgan's fastest-ever T20 century off just 38 balls as they beat Middlesex by 29 runs in a run feast at Northwood.

Middlesex fought back hard through Joe Cracknell (77) and Stevie Eskinazi (59).

But once the opening partnership fell, the home side could not keep up the momentum and finished on 209-5.

The game started with Middlesex in control as Glamorgan struggled to 20-2 in four overs, and they were 51-3 in the seventh when Blake Cullen (2-23) dismissed Kiran Carlson for 16.

Ingram and Cooke rebuilt sensibly to start with, with the total standing at 84 after 11 overs.

But 154 more came off the final nine overs as two experienced batters ran riot on a small ground, Cooke celebrating breaking Glamorgan's appearances record (138) as well as his own 37th birthday the previous day.

Cooke was dropped on the boundary by Pieter Malan on 57 off Tom Helm and reacted by hitting the next four balls for 20.

He raced from 50 to 100 in only 12 balls with some remarkable straight striking to register Glamorgan's seventh century in the shortest format.

Cooke finished with 12 fours and seven sixes, achieving the rare distinction of out-hitting Ingram who himself struck seven fours and six sixes.

Glamorgan's superb exhibition of power stroke-play on the small out-ground could have left Middlesex shell-shocked, but Cracknell and Eskinazi came out all guns blazing as they took 77 runs off the power-play overs.

At halfway 129 was on the board and with all their wickets standing Middlesex were suddenly and almost unbelievably favourites.

Cracknell equalled his previous best T20 score but with the score on 146, he was neatly stumped by Cooke off Australian spinner Peter Hatzoglou, his first wicket for the county.

Eskinazi fell in the next over, reverse-sweeping Prem Sisodiya to short third man and the game had switched momentum again.

Sisodiya had Max Holden caught for 11 and Middlesex needed 70 off the last five, though they could still not be written off given previous events.

But spinners Hatzoglou (2-28) and Sisodiya (2-34) did enough to check the charge with their wickets proving crucial, as the new batters could not hit their stride quickly enough to get Middlesex close.