LONDON, (Reuters) - England's Robert Key was pleased to finally make his mark on test cricket with 167 not out in the first Test against West Indies at Lord's yesterday but said he only started playing well after reaching the 80's.
Key made the most of his chance after Mark Butcher was ruled out of the Test with whiplash to score his first test century and share in a record 291-run stand with Andrew Strauss to put England in a commanding position on 391 for two.
It was the highest second wicket stand for England anywhere against West Indies and Key's knock contrasted markedly with scratchy innings in his eight previous Tests.
"Before I have been too desperate to go out and show I can play," he told reporters after stumps on day one.
"It is the best feeling I have had in cricket but it was only around 80-odd that I started to hit the ball alright."
Strauss wowed the crowd on his home ground for the third Test innings in a row, scoring 20 fours in his 137.
He made 112 and 83 on his Test debut at Lord's in May against New Zealand and also notched a ton here in the recent one-day triangular series.
"This was not quite the same as it wasn't my debut but it's just as satisfying," he said.
Queen Elizabeth met the players at the tea interval and Strauss said she paid both centurions a compliment.
"She said 'I hear you two have been batting well' and I said 'Thanks'," he added.
DIFFICULT DAY
West Indies captain Brian Lara was left to rue his decision to put England into bat on a flat wicket.
"It is one of the most difficult days in the field I have had in test cricket," he said.
"In the one-day series at Lord's the conditions favoured the team bowling first and when we got to Lord's this morning it was overcast.
"The discipline in the bowling has to be looked at but it is only one day."
The worry for Lara is that today will see more of the same from England's batsmen with Key still there and captain Michael Vaughan poised for his first big score of the English summer on 36 not out.
Key is keeping his feet on the ground, however.
"I will probably be out first ball tomorrow. Test cricket opportunities are few and far between and I've had my fair share," he said.