Key unlocks Ashes door
From Julian Guyer in Canterbury
July 7, 2006
ROBERT Key gave the selectors a timely reminder of his ability, scoring an unbeaten century for England A against Pakistan overnight.
On a day when England captain Michael Vaughan was ruled out of the Ashes series after knee surgery, A team skipper Key's unbeaten 128 was the centrepiece of the host's 3-268 on the opening day of this four-day fixture, Pakistan's final first-class match before next week's first Test at Lord's.
Key, 27, who had shoulder surgery during the off-season, played the last of his 15 Tests against South Africa at Centurion in January 2005.
He is still restricted in his ability to throw, so is unlikely to be in England's first Test squad due to be announced on Sunday.
But he did his prospects of a recall no harm, making the most of a reprieve after being dropped on 30, by batting all day on his Kent home ground to score his maiden first-class century of the season.
At stumps he had faced 250 balls with two sixes and 16 fours, while Ravi Bopara was unbeaten on seven.
"It's been a slow start for me in four-day cricket but it was a pretty flat pitch, one of those when if you got in it was going to be pretty hard to get out," he said.
"What they (Pakistan) did brilliantly was to get the ball to reverse-swing, they showed some class with the way they got the ball to do stuff on a wicket where there was no conventional swing and no seam movement."
Turning to his Ashes prospects, Key added: "I understand it's going to be tough. You've always got that in the back of your mind.
"I took the captaincy at Kent to help me get back in the England side. There are still quite a few people in and around the team as well.
"My name will be amongst them somewhere, it just depends on where, but with a good end to the summer you never know."
Agence France-Press
_____________________________________________
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
