Key last played for England in South Africa in January 2005

Batsman Rob Key said he hoped to earn a recall to the England Test squad after scoring his third century against a New Zealand touring side on Monday.

Kent captain Key hit an unbeaten 178 to follow his twin tons in the nine-wicket victory over the Black Caps in 2004. Kent closed the first day on 324-1.

Key said: "The New Zealanders seem to cop it whenever I bat. This sort of kick-started my summer a few years ago.

"I managed to play a Test match and do pretty well. So it's a good omen."

The century was also the fifth hundred against touring sides for Key on his home ground and came up during a mammoth, unbroken stand of 299 with James Tredwell, who finished 123 not out.

Both are candidates to be named on Tuesday in the England Lions' squad to face New Zealand from 8 May at the Rose Bowl.

Key followed up in 2004 with a double hundred against West Indies at Lord's. He averages 31.00 from 15 Tests in all.

He insisted there were opportunities in the England side for people to come into the team.

"Circumstances present themselves don't they really?

"We wouldn't be talking about me having the chance to play for England again this year if the boys had done really well out in Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

Tredwell played a supporting role but still weighed in with 20 fours

"If they had had a gun time of it, where they were winning games of cricket and all the batters were getting runs, there would be no need to start looking at the fringe players as much."

Other rivals for places in the England's starting line-up - Owais Shah, Ravi Bopara and Mark Ramprakash - have all begun 2008 with County Championship hundreds.

But if England stick to the top six which played through the 2-1 Test series win in New Zealand none will get a look-in at Lord's on 15 May.

Key was dropped at slip on 43 before reaching his hundred five minutes before tea. He struck 27 fours.

Only Joe Denly missed out when he was caught for 12.

The 22-year-old, prolific last term with more than 1,000 runs and 83 against the Indian tourists, has been out of touch so far this year, with 61 runs in four Championship knocks.

He fell after driving at a wide delivery from the emerging teenage paceman Tim Southee when James Marshall took a superb low catch at backward point.

The New Zealand opening bowlers beat the bat on a few occasions early on but once Key overcame some initial difficulties he dominated the bowling.

He should have been dismissed on 43, however, but Peter Fulton fluffed a head-high chance at second slip.

Tredwell recorded his second first-class century with consecutive cuts to the backward point boundary.

To compound the problems for the New Zealanders, Chris Martin, their most threatening bowler, clipped Tredwell's off-bail late in the day but did not dislodge it.