Key calls the shots

Kent completed a quickfire one-day double over Warwickshire with a 22-run NatWest Pro40 victory.

Just 10 days after giving the Bears a thumping in the Twenty20 quarter-finals, Rob Key’s side returned to Edgbaston to launch their Pro40 campaign in similar style.

Key’s 80 underpinned their total of 228 for eight, and Warwickshire’s reply never took off with only Jonathan Trott, who made 91 not out from 103 balls, offering any sustained resistance as they mustered only 206 for nine.

Kent chose to bat but soon lost Joe Denly, bowled second ball, by Chris Woakes.

Key should already have been back in the pavilion. Still to score, he would have been run out by yards had Jim Troughton’s throw hit the stumps.

Troughton missed and Warwickshire were soon regretting it as Key and Martin van Jaarsveld added 82 in 14 overs.

Van Jaarsveld was in glorious form. He struck 49 at quicker than a run a ball, including seven fours and a six, and it was a surprise when he perished, driving Neil Carter to Ian Salisbury at extra cover.

Robert Key hit 80 to set up Kent's comfortable win over Warwickshire at Edgbaston

Salisbury then struck with his first ball, trapping Yasir Arafat lbw, but Key found another valuable partner in Matt Walker.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 76 in 11 overs and, at 193 for three in the 32nd over, an imposing total beckoned before Warwickshire hit back with four wickets in three overs.

Key, having struck seven fours and a six, fell lbw to Maddy, and three balls later, Walker was run out for 43 by Ant Botha’s direct hit.

Azhar Mahmood clipped Maddy to midwicket and, after Justin Kemp fatally edged Salisbury, the innings had lost all momentum. Just 21 runs came from the last seven overs.

In reply, Warwickshire soon lost Neil Carter and Troughton, both of whom edged outswingers to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

Trott and Maddy added 58 in 14 overs but the captain’s dismissal triggered a flurry of wickets.

Maddy edged Simon Cook, Tony Frost fell lbw playing across the line to the same bowler, and Luke Parker gave James Tredwell the charge and presented Jones with a simple stumping.

Botha became Jones’ fifth victim and Trott and Tim Groenewald’s seventh-wicket stand of 58 in 10 overs was much too little much too late.

Azhar rounded off the rout with some terrific death bowling which did for Groenewald, Salisbury and Woakes and left him with 4-29.