CANTERBURY (England), April 29: Kent captain Robert Key bolstered his hopes of an England recall on Monday by scoring his third hundred against New Zealand as the Black Caps struggled on the opening day of their initial first-class tour match.

Key, who four years ago scored a hundred in each innings of Kent’s nine-wicket win over New Zealand, ended the first day of this three-day game with an unbeaten 178 against his name in a total of 324 for one.

Runs came from the other end too, with James Tredwell 123 not out.

New Zealand begin the three-Test series against England at Lord’s on May 15.

Key, who played the last of his 15 Tests three years ago, completed his century in 170 balls with 16 fours.

Tredwell, whose score was only his second first-class hundred, reached three figures off 198 balls with 17 boundaries.

New Zealand teenage quick Tim Southee, who took five wickets on his Test debut against England at Napier in March, returned figures on Monday of one for 49 off 15 overs although it needed a fine catch by James Marshall at backward point to help him dismiss Joe Denly for 12.

Scoreboard

KENT (1st Innings):

J.L. Denly c Marshall b Southee 12

R.W.T. Key not out 178

J.C. Tredwell not out 123

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-5, W-1) 11

TOTAL (for one wkt, 90 overs) 324

FALL OF WKT: 1-25.

TO BAT: M.J. Walker, D.I. Stevens, N.J. Dexter, G.O. Jones, R. McLaren, A.J. Blake, S.J. Cook, M.J. Saggers.

BOWLING (to-date): Martin 19-7-53-0 (1w); Southee 15-3-49-1; O’Brien 21-5-73-0; Elliott 10-2-42-0; Patel 21-2-81-0; Redmond 4-1-16-0.

NEW ZEALAND: J.M. How, A.J. Redmond, J.A.H. Marshall, P.G. Fulton, D.R. Flynn, G.D. Elliott, G.J. Hopkins, T.G. Southee, J.S. Patel, I.E. O’Brien, C.S. Martin.

UMPIRES: N.G.C. Cowley and A. Hicks.

—Agencies