On the day that Graham Thorpe announced he will be playing for New South Wales this winter, thus hinting the end of his Test career his nigh, Robert Key gave the selectors a timely reminder of his claims to Thorpe’s place in the England team by holding Kent together in trying conditions against the nothing but pleasant backdrop of the Nevill Ground at Tunbridge Wells.

Key shared in two crucial hundred-run partnerships, firstly with his skipper David Fulton then South Africa’s Andrew Hall. Had it not been for these three the match would now be well advanced, since no other Kent batsman managed double figures. By the close Surrey’s opening pair had reduced the deficit by 22 runs, with Richard Clinton moving quickly to fifteen courtesy of two off-side boundaries.

Thorpe’s decision to play the second half of the 2005-06 season for the Pura Cup champions, which conflicts with England’s forthcoming tour of India, filtered through shortly after Key brought up his century in 226 deliveries. If everything goes accordingly, Thorpe will become the first England Test player to play State cricket in Australia since Ian Botham in 1987-88.

Surrey had their other old stager, Martin Bicknell, to thank for pegging back the hosts after Key and Fulton appeared to have tamed the sporty pitch. In a superb post lunch spell the 36-year-old all-rounder picked up four wickets as Kent slumped from 112 without loss to 118 for four in the space of just twenty minutes.

Fulton, who got off the mark with a boundary straight down the ground in the second over of proceedings, was leg before trying to work Bicknell to leg. After Martin van Jaarsveld had been defeated by an in-swinging first delivery, Matt Walker dragged the ball on to his leg stump and Darren Stevens got a faint inside edge to the keeper. The figures for Bicknell’s second spell read 9-4-10-4.

Justin Kemp, who came in for Amjad Khan to make his first appearance for the hop county, departed five overs later when his attacking instincts got the better of him and Ramprakash took a simple catch at mid-off.

At 129 for five the hosts’ decision to bat first, influenced, perhaps, by the inclusion of two spinners in Surrey’s line-up, looked questionable, but thanks to a 100-run partnership in 29 overs between Key and Hall the hop county may yet find they have enough in their locker to establish a lead on first innings.

Robert Key went past 7,000 runs for his club when he cut Doshi for four in the 24th over. Five overs before lunch he reached fifty of exactly 100 balls and once things calmed down again the sturdy 25-year-old cover drove off both feet and at one stage forced Ian Salisbury back over his head for four.

Key reached the 26th hundred of his career in the fifth over after tea, but upon the century stand being reached, he pushed James Benning to Scott Newman’s left at short extra cover. Key had batted for more than five hours, making 112 off 262 balls, including 18 fours.

229 for six became 262 and out as Nayan Doshi hastened the end of Kent’s first dig. Niall O’Brien handed James Benning a career best return by playing round a straight one.

Simon Cook became Doshi’s fiftieth victim in first-class cricket when, in the 89th over, the former Middlesex man was beaten as much in the flight as he was off the wicket.

Two overs later Rikki Clarke show amazing anticipation by moving from slip to short backward square leg to claim Min Patel off the paddle sweep. Andrew Hall, who adopted just the right combination of dependability and aggression had made 61 from 106 balls when he was last out, forcing Doshi to short extra cover.

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