LV COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Canterbury:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY ONE: Kent 424
Kent 5pts, Durham 3pts
Match scorecard

Key's highest score in first class-cricket still stands at 270

Robert Key hit the third double century of his first-class career but missed out on setting his highest score by 10 runs as Kent took command on day one.

Phil Mustard's tenure as Durham captain began promisingly as Steve Harmison (4-52) reduced the home side to 10-2.

But Key and Martin van Jaarsveld (30) put on 117 for the third wicket as the Kent skipper plundered his first century off just 105 balls.

Key (261) eventually fell to Ben Harmison as Kent were all out for 424.

The Kent skipper began the game with a meagre season's average of 14.3 and must have feared another testing day at the crease when Joe Denley and Geraint Jones were both dismissed early on by Steve Harmison.

But having seen off the former England paceman's first spell, Key moved quickly towards his century, supported well by Azhar Mahmood (43).

Following Mahmood's dismissal, Key continued to score fluently and eventually passed Ed Smith's 175 at the Riverside in 2000 - the previous highest total by a Kent batsman against Durham.

He should have been out on 233 but Chris Rushworth dropped a simple chance at mid-wicket off the bowling of Dale Benkenstien.

Key went on to punish that mistake, scoring 18 from the over, but eventually fell in the final over of the day - bowled around his legs trying a clip to fine leg.

That left him just short of his own highest total and 15 runs shy of the record score by a Kent batsman at Canterbury.

Kent captain Rob Key told BBC Radio Kent:
"This one was probably one of my best because people like Steve Harmison are playing.

"When you do it in the second division it's nice to get runs but the first division is what it's all about really, you've got to show what you can do.

"All of my career - apart from one year - has been in the first division so it's nice to keep going on that note. It was good fun and it was a long time due."

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