Skipper Rob Key admits Kent’s slow start to the season came as a shock but after crushing Surrey, he hopes they can make up for lost time.

Kent were second-bottom of LV=County Championship Division 2 before the eight-wicket win over their neighbours at Canterbury this week and Key admitted: “It feels good."

The opener added: “We had a good pre-season. There was a good vibe and all the things that people talk about were in place, but we didn’t quite start as we’d have liked.

“It was a little bit of a shock because after the pre-season, I think we felt we were going to start like a race car.

“That wasn’t to be but we came here against a decent Surrey side and put in a good performance on probably the best wicket I have played on at Canterbury for years.”

Key and Brendan Nash struck their first centuries of the season to steer Kent to a first-innings lead, while Adam Riley stole the show with the ball, claiming 9-155 over the two Surrey innings, including his second Kent Championship five-wicket haul.

Key said: “If you can get 400, you’re going to have a good chance of winning games, especially when you have got the bowling attack we have got.”

He added: “I think Adam Riley’s more than a prospect. The job he did for us was crucial and to go at two an over, in this day and age, is a serious effort.”

Key, who turns 35 on Monday, revealed his satisfaction at his 52nd First Class century, which also took him past 18,000 First Class runs.

He admitted: “I was pleased with it. It’s always nice to get your first of the year, plus I’d had a slow start, we won the game, it was good pitch and against a decent attack with a bit of pace.

“The problem when you get older is you wonder if you’re out of nick or just getting old, so actually it was nice to score some runs and show you’ve still got something.”

He added: “I wasn’t really aware of the 18,000. I pride myself on scoring hundreds. There’s no better feeling in cricket.”