AFTER undergoing two operations in the space of a month Kent’s new cricket captain Rob Key has his sights set on a St Valentine’s Day comeback for England’s Academy squad.

The deposed Test batsman has undergone surgery to cure persistent problems to his groin and right shoulder, but is determined to make the mid-February deadline for the ECB Academy tour of the Caribbean.

Though in pain, sporting a shoulder sling and unable to drive his car for another three weeks, Key says both operations went as well as could be expected.

Kent's new skipper said: "Both injuries proved worse than originally anticipated so the surgery was quite invasive, particularly in the shoulder.

"The specialist puts it down to wear and tear but the shoulder has been a problem all year really. I first had trouble with it when throwing in on England’s tour to South Africa and had a cortisone injection to get me through.

"Then I needed another injection at the start of the domestic season with Kent, but the effects of that wore off mid-summer and it became an issue again.

"Fielding, diving and throwing became a chore and incredibly painful and cricket wasn’t as much fun as it should have been. Even with my batting the cross-bat shots like cuts, pulls and hooks were hurting so much that something had to be done."

Key added: "The specialist tells me there was massive swelling inside the shoulder joint and a tear in the tendon, so they have re-constructed the joint and increased the space between the tendon and shoulder joint.

"I face three months of rehabilitation at the academy in Loughborough and have set myself the target of being fit for when we meet up for the tour on February 14. It may be touch and go that I’ll be on the flight the following day, but I’ll be giving it my best shot."