Not so long ago, a player scoring a century against the touring side could reasonably expect a call-up for a Test match the following week and a player who got two tons would be a shoo-in.
 Key celebrated a sublime century against New Zealand |
None of the England selectors were even in attendance at Canterbury on Friday as Kent's Rob Key stroked a superlative 114 from 130 balls against New Zealand. On Sunday he was at it again, stroking 117 not out from 148 balls to beat the Kiwis in their final match before going to Lord's.
But Key, 25, did not even harbour a faint hope of being one of the 13 named on Sunday to feature in that match.
"I think Rod Marsh has seen enough of me; the selectors know what I can do," said Key, a 2001/02 graduate of England Academy, which selector Marsh runs.
In the age of central contracts, the turnover within the Test team has decreased markedly and a new call-up at the start of the summer is the exception rather than the rule.
Key impressed with his effort in eight Tests between August 2002 and last June but failed to come up with the big scores to justify his continued inclusion in the side.
On Friday he got that big score against an attack which is likely to have just one change next Thursday.
The pitch at Lord's is likely to offer more to the bowlers than a pretty slow strip at Kent's home ground.
But Shane Bond was still at full speed, and Key was supreme as he drove New Zealand's pace spearhead through long-off.
 |  I've worked on the technique so even if I'm not in form I can still graft out runs |
And it was only Key's over-excitement at facing Test spinner Daniel Vettori, whose first spell he had thrashed for four boundaries, that saw him edge behind for 114. During his early Test experience Key developed a habit of getting the hard runs against the top bowlers and then getting out without capitalising.
His dismissal lbw by part-time Australian medium-pacer Damien Martyn for a two-and-a-half-hour 47 in the third Ashes Test in Perth was a prime example.
While England toiled across continents on three tours this winter, Key took it easy at home and tinkered with his technique.
"Our coach Simon Willis put his arm out bowling to me in the nets," he told BBC Sport.
"I used to rely too heavily on my eye, and when that wasn't quite right I was in trouble.
| ROB KEY FACTFILE Born: 12 May 1979 Tests: 8
Debut v India at Nottingham, 2nd Test, 2002
Latest Test v Zimbabwe, Riverside, 2nd Test, 2003
244 runs at 18.76, best 52 ODIs: 2
11 runs at 5.50, best 11 |
"Now I've worked on the technique so even if I'm not in form I can still graft out runs." The century against the tourists was his second of the season, following one in a contrived run-chase against Gloucestershire last month.
"This is better because it's against a Test attack," he said.
"The only shame about it not being in the Championship is that it doesn't get points for Kent."
Since Key's last Test, Graham Thorpe has returned after family problems, Paul Collingwood has looked assured in the Test line-up and Andrew Strauss appears to be next in line.
Add in the claims of Nottinghamshire's South African-born batsman Kevin Pietersen, who becomes eligible for selection in September, and a queue has formed for a middle-order place.
Key said: "Obviously there are people in possession now but I'd like to think when some of the older players move on there will be a place for me."
Fresh from his first century, he grinned sheepishly and added, "I just have to keep going out and doing that."
He did exactly that, but an England place remains just as far away.
MMIX
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