A CENTURY from Rob Key and a belligerent, unbeaten 72 from Michael Carberry stood Kent in good stead on day two of their four-day friendly with New Zealand.

Having taken the last eight Kiwi wickets for 79 in the morning session, Kent made the most of a placid pitch to reach 296 for four at the mid-point of the game.

Min Patel with five for 56 had been Kent’s hero in the first session as the tourists succumbed for 409, but Key’s 114 in response was the innings of the game to date and Carberry’s cameo through to stumps was not far behind.

Kent lost David Fulton (9) and Ed Smith (7) to loose shots early in the reply, but Key dug in with Matthew Walker (32) to resurrect the reply with a third wicket stand of 90.

That came to an end when Walker edged a push-defensive shot into the gloves of Brendon McCullum, but Key was far from done.

His fluent and stylish century came up from just 111 balls and with 18 fours and was his 14th for Kent and 17th in first-class cricket.

The innings ended with a slap-dash sweep off Daniel Vettori, the man he had punished severely earlier in the day, to make it 185 for four.

The hosts were far from done, however, and Carberry and Geraint Jones posted a further 111 for the fifth wicket through to stumps.

Both players made nervous starts, but once established neither offered a chance.

Jones miscued a couple of hook shots into space to finish unbeaten on 43, while Carberry again looked in commanding form, spanking 13 fours in his 111-ball stay.

After a dull opening day of 297 runs, New Zealand resumed with one eye on a 500-plus total but Patel and Amjad Khan had other ideas.

Khan sent back Scott Styris and Craig McMillan, leaving Patel to sweep through the middle order for his best figures since July 2002.