Kent storm to nine-wicket win

Kent 432 for 9 dec and 190 for 1 (Key 117*, Fulton 67) beat New Zealanders 409 and 211 by nine wickets
Scorecard

Robert Key powers towards his second hundred of the match © Getty Images

Robert Key's second hundred of the match guided Kent to an easy nine-wicket win over the New Zealanders at Canterbury, and handed England's selectors a reminder than he remains a genuine contender for a place in the Test side.

Key accelerated after a cautious start, racing from fifty to his hundred in only 43 balls, bring up his 126-ball hundred with a cracking pull for four to midwicket off part-time spinner Mark Richardson.

Kent could have swept to a ten-wicket win, but they lost David Fulton within sight of the finishing line when, shortly after lunch, he tried to hit Richardson over the top and was well stumped by Brendon McCullum for 67 (174 for 1).

None of New Zealand's main bowlers looked at all threatening, although they approached the match more as a limb-loosener than any fully-fledged workout. "I sensed that they had one eye on next week during our run-chase," explained John Bracewell, New Zealand's coach. "It must be tough when your big game is around the corner to lift yourself in a county game."

Shane Bond wasn't brought into the firing line at all in Kent's second innings, and shortly after the game Bracewell confirmed that he would not be fit to play at Lord's.

Bracewell was keen not to attach too much importance to the defeat at Canterbury. "We haven't had a lot of practice outdoors so while we came into the match trying to win it, we have been beaten by a side which put it together on the day. We came to win in Test cricket and no-one is going to remember if we win the Test series that we lost to Kent."