Rob Key is threatening to do a Ryan Sidebottom by bursting back on to centre stage after a long spell spent re-learning his lines in county cricket.

Sidebottom's spectacular return to England colours has given hope to a host of players who were either tried and discarded during the seven-year reign of coach Duncan Fletcher or not picked at all.

But unlike pace bowler Sidebottom, who was given just one Test before being sent back to the domestic game, Key knows he had a decent crack of the whip first time around. He won 15 caps before being dropped in 2005 with an unsatisfactory average of 31.

But the Kent captain believes he is a better player now, and he did his utmost to prove it by scoring a big unbeaten century on the opening day of his county's tour match against New Zealand at Canterbury.

Yesterday's 178 was his third three-figure score in as many innings against the Kiwis after he made 114 and 117 not out when they last visited Kent in 2004.

Those hundreds helped propel Key into the Test side four years ago. And, having just been named in a 25-man England 'performance squad' ahead of this summer's internationals, he is knocking on the door again. "You get a bit more faith back when you see things around the England team that have happened of late," said Key, who will be 29 next month.

"The day you don't think you're good enough to get back into the side is a sad day."

Yesterday, was just a tough day for New Zealand as Key and another performance squad member, James Tredwell (123 not out), took Kent to 324 for one with an unbroken stand of 299. That partnership served to underline the fact that the Kiwis have started this tour without their five best players, including bowlers Kyle Mills and Daniel Vettori and all-rounder Jacob Oram.

Those three, plus batsman Ross Taylor and keeper Brendon McCullum, are due to arrive tomorrow after completing their commitments with the Indian Premier League.