Key: Time right for England return

16 August 2008

Rob Key goes aerial in the Friends Provident Trophy semi-final win over Durham

Robert Key has not relinquished hope of an England recall this winter and believes he is a more accomplished player now than when he was dropped.

Traditionally, players who excel in the domestic one-day final have been rewarded with a winter tour chance.

Although more saturated television coverage of county cricket has altered the landscape somewhat, Kent captain Key still intends to make an impression in today’s Friends Provident Trophy final.

Key, 29, leads his team into battle against Essex for the sixth time this summer at the peak of his powers.

“I am still pretty hopeful and certainly a lot more hopeful than I was last year when no-one was talking about me,” said Key, who captained England Lions earlier this week and last played at full international level three and a half years ago.

“It’s a good place to be though - just out of the side - because everyone thinks you are a better player than what you are!

“I think I am hungrier for England success now and certainly my point of view is different.

“I’ve always wanted to play for England but it was Test cricket as the be all and end all.

“But through captaincy at Kent - and given we have been a successful side - I have become hungrier to play every form of the game for England.

“I feel a better player now than I was when I was selected originally.

“Looking back I probably played a bit too early at 23; if I don’t play for England between now and the end of my career, I will probably have a regret that I didn’t do it when I was perhaps best suited to it.”

Key’s opening partner Joe Denly is also pushing for England recognition and has shown maturity beyond his 22 years.

“Every big game we’ve had he has stood up and played an innings,” Key said. “When I was a young guy I used to look at Carl Hooper and think ‘it would be good if Hoops could have an innings today’.

“Whereas Joe thinks ‘this is about me today, I’m going to win the game for Kent’.

Key's opening partner Joe Denly is determined to perform well with the bat in the Lord's final today

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“We always hear about temperament. These young guys who are picked for England - what have they done in big games?

“That is what I would be looking at. How has he fared against the best bowling attack? How has he done against Steve Harmison at Durham?

“He played brilliantly in the semi-final and scored a hundred at a time when Harmison was bowling so well we could not believe he was not in the England team.”

Essex, who trail 3-2 in matches between the teams this summer, were rocked on the eve of today’s contest by doubts over captain Mark Pettini, who suffered a stigmatism in his eye, and former England wicketkeeper James Foster, struck down by a mystery virus.

But both continued their participation in the drawn LV County Championship contest at Edgbaston and were confident of playing.

Graham Napier displayed his batting pyrotechnics by taking the Warwickshire bowlers for a rapid half-century, to extend his hot streak, while England duo Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara will bolster the XI.

Bopara’s double hundred took the honours in the victory over Leicestershire earlier in the competition while Napier extended his 20-over form to blast past Yorkshire in the semi-final.

“We have had a number of outstanding individual performances from a lot of different players, which have won us games on numerous occasions,” said Pettini.

“Guys are very clear on their roles and have been very focused on executing their skills. The other thing is that momentum plays a huge part in one-day cricket and when you keep winning it becomes a habit.

“The guys were extremely disappointed that we didn’t play our best cricket on Twenty20 finals day, which is a shame because we wanted to express ourselves on that big stage.

“But we are fortunate enough to get the chance to put that right and are also well placed in the Pro40.”