Patient Key pushes the Test door open again after making England's performance squad

The 28-year-old Kent captain last played for his country against South Africa at Centurion in January, 2005, at which point the then-selectors lost patience with the inconsistency which undermined abundant talent.

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That was only five months after he had amassed a career-best score of 221 against the West Indies at Lord's, in the presence of the Queen.

The memory of such a regal innings could not save him, especially in light of Andrew Strauss's rapid emergence as a pedigree international opener.

The subsequent arrival of Kevin Pietersen as an explosive new element in England's top order and the development of Ian Bell saw Key fade further into the shadows. But he was determined to ensure the decline was not terminal.

Having taken on the Kent captaincy in 2006, he also led England 'A' with distinction and joined the academy contingent in Perth while Andrew Flintoff's team were being subjected to an Ashes whitewash.

Last summer he guided his county to Twenty20 Cup glory before returning to Western Australia in the close-season to work with Neil Holder, who made Justin Langer such a force in the twilight of his career.

All the hard work and personal sacrifice has been with one goal in mind; to play for England again. Key's tally of 775 runs at an average of 31 from 15 Tests tells the tale of an unfulfilled talent, but the flame of personal ambition has never been snuffed out.

On the eve of Kent's championship opener against Nottinghamshire last week, their captain made it plain that he was not settling for life on the domestic circuit. "My whole philosophy and focus is to hone my game and play as well as I can for Kent in the hope that I will again play for England," he said.

"I want to win and do well at Test level. I feel unfulfilled in that regard, and if I never play for England again I'd be very sad. I'll never give up the ghost on it."

That determination and dedication have been rewarded. As a unit, England's top order blew hot and cold on the tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand, so Key will know that the door is ajar ahead of the return series against the Kiwis.

After Kent coach Graham Ford phoned him with the good news on Monday, he said: "It's obviously not like being told you're back in the squad and playing for England again, but it is a step in the right direction.

"I had a decent year last year for Kent and I've always felt you stand a chance of achieving what you deserve if you're among the runs. This squad is picked by the Test selectors, so this is telling me they consider me to be among the best 26 players in England and one of a handful of top batsmen.

"It's nice to be recognised in that manner and gives me hope and faith to continue doing what I believe in. If I'm scoring shed-loads of runs for Kent I'll be in with a good shout of being picked for the Test team again. I've still got to produce the goods, but this is a quiet nudge to tell me that I'm at least in with a chance."

Alongside the 12 centrally-contracted players in the squad are a further 14 men identified as England contenders, including the uncapped Adil Rashid of Yorkshire, Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry and Key's Kent team-mate, off-spinner James Tredwell.

Rashid is the 20-year-old leg-spinning all-rounder regarded as the most exciting prospect in the English game. He followed up an impressive first full season for the White Rose county, which saw him named 2007 Young Cricketer of the Year, by catching the eye on the England Lions tour of India.

He scored plenty of runs on the sub-continent, as did Carberry, whose two centuries for the national 2nd XI have catapulted him into Test contention after so many unfulfilled years at Surrey and Kent. Tredwell toured New Zealand with the senior one-day party but didn't play.

The selectors have opted to keep four performance squad places open but have decided not to award any six-month summer central contracts.

PERFORMANCE SQUAD

T Ambrose (Warwickshire, wkt), J Anderson (Lancashire), I Bell (Warwickshire), R Bopara (Essex), S Broad (Notts), M Carberry (Hampshire), P Collingwood (Durham), A Cook (Essex), A Flintoff (Lancashire), S Harmison (Durham), M Hoggard (Yorkshire), R Key (Kent), D Mascarenhas (Hampshire), P Mustard (Durham, wkt), M Panesar (Northants), K Pietersen (Hampshire), M Prior (Sussex, wkt), A Rashid (Yorkshire), O Shah (Middlesex), A Strauss (Middlesex), R Sidebottom (Notts), G Swann (Notts), J Tredwell (Kent), C Tremlett (Hampshire), M Vaughan (Yorkshire), L Wright (Sussex).