New star finds Key to success

By Paul Grunill
BBC Sport Interactive

There used to be a long-running TV talent show, hosted by Hughie Green, called Opportunity Knocks.

200+ IN A LORD'S TEST FOR ENGLAND J Hobbs 211 v South Africa 192 W Hammond 240 v Australia 1938 J Hardstaff Jr 205no v India 1946 D Compton 208 v South Africa 1947 G Gooch 333 v India 1990 R Key 221 v West Indies 2004

For the assortment of comedians, singers, dancers and novelty acts who appeared, it was a chance to take a short cut in their hopeful journey towards fame and fortune.

Opportunity knocked for Kent batsman Robert Key when Mark Butcher suffered whiplash in a car accident earlier this week.

And Key's prize for seizing that opportunity with an innings of 221 against West Indies should surely be a place in the England Test side for the rest of the summer at least.

For Butcher, his future as an England player suddenly looks uncertain, only days after skipper Michael Vaughan hailed him as the team's most consistent player over the past two years.

Key is only the sixth England batsman to make a double century at 'headquarters' joining a short but illustrious line of Hobbs, Hammond, Hardstaff, Compton and Gooch.

His performance is all the more remarkable, given an average of 18 from eight previous Tests, the last against Zimbabwe 13 months earlier.

So what has made the difference - apart from the confidence gained by racing past 1,000 first-class runs for Kent by early June?

"Robert had a break from the game at the end of last season for six to eight weeks and that gave him time to reflect on not just cricket, but his life and what he wanted out of it," Kent coach Simon Willis told BBC Sport.

In the past I've been too desperate to go out there and play really well in Test cricket Rob Key

"Rob said he needed to change a few things both on and off the field and he was willing to commit to it last winter by coming in and working four days a week at Canterbury.

"It highlighted a couple of technical aspects of his game that he needed to improve and now he's reaping the rewards for those efforts."

Suddenly it seems the England selectors can do no wrong.

So far this summer, Andrew Strauss, Geraint Jones and now Key have been brought into the team and immediately looked at home on the big stage.

It would suggest that maybe county cricket is not as enfeebled as those demanding further reform might claim.

"The coaching structures now - there's a lot more technical knowledge going into the game. This enables coaches to change and improve cricketers on a daily basis," said Willis.

Key (right) made his Test debut alongside Steve Harmison

Key first represented England as a member of the under-17 squad which visited Bermuda in 1997 and the following winter helped the under-19 side win the youth World Cup in South Africa.

Surrey batsmen have played a part in his advancement at senior level.

It was Graham Thorpe's withdrawal from the England team because he felt 'burnt out' which gave Key the chance to make his Test debut against India at Trent Bridge in 2002.

And it was Butcher's ill luck which gave him another chance to prove his forthright strokeplay could thrive at Test level.

"People like Butch deserve all the opportunities they get because they have proved themselves at this level" was Key's response to the news.

"He has been a great help to me when I have been with England before and I promise you it wasn't me that pranged into the back of his car."

Despite his lively sense of humour, West Indies now know Key is deadly serious with a bat in his hands.