KENT’S Robert Key did his chances of making England’s winter Ashes party no harm at all by scoring a century as England A had the best of their drawn four-day friendly with Pakistan in Canterbury.

The 27-year-old county opener and England A skipper scored a season’s best 136 on a flat St Lawrence pitch to help his side amass 595 for nine declared in their first innings after Key had won the toss.

The right-hander hit 17 fours and a brace of sixes in his 269-ball stay that finished half-an-hour into the second day of the game.

Having taken 21 minutes to get off the mark, he gave just one chance when on 30 as a lifter from Mohammad Asif grazed the outside edge, only for keeper Kamran Akmal, who was struggling with a bruised left index finger, to spurn the opportunity.

After his knock Key said: “There are quite a few people in and around the England side at the moment and my name would be in the mix somewhere, it just depends on where.

“Of course I’m aiming to be in Australia this winter and if I can have a good end to my summer with Kent then you never know.

“This is a definite step up from county level and I think the England A format is a good one. It certainly feels good to have an England shirt on again.”

Nottinghamshire’s wicketkeeper Chris Read also heaped further pressure on Kent’s Geraint Jones by scoring a century before Key declared.

Pakistan were rolled over for 242 in reply with the England A spinners doing the damage. Middlesex all-rounder Jamie Dalrymple claimed four for 61, while former Kent off-spinner Alex Loudon, now with Warwickshire, bagged three for 28.

Key elected not to enforce the follow-on and, with a first innings lead of 353, batted again but was soon back in the pavilion himself after being bowled by Imran Farhat for 17 from 16 balls.

He declared the side’s second innings on 151 for one after unbeaten half-centuries for Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, leaving Pakistan the impossible task of scoring 507 for victory from only 46 overs.

Unsurprisingly, the tourists used the remaining overs for batting practice ahead of Thursday’s first Test at Lord’s and the game petered out into a draw.

England's seam bowler Matthew Hoggard injured his right hand in the team's warm-up on Saturday morning and played no part in the final two days.

His Yorkshire team-mate Tim Bresnan trod on Hoggard's hand during a game of touch rugby and a visit to Kent and Canterbury Hospital led to six stitches to hold the wound together.

Hoggard is, however, hopeful of playing in this week's Test opener in St John's Wood.