The jury is still out on Key but the case for the defence has only one piece of evidence, however substantial – a blistering 221 against West Indies last summer.

The Kent man had previously earned an unwanted reputation as the new Graeme Hick, a flat-track bully who compiled enormous county championship scores but failed to translate that dominance to Test level.

Key's colossal knock at Lord's will surely be a career-defining one regardless of which direction he goes from here, but any grace it may have bought is close to exhaustion after a barren winter.

He has averaged just 28 since that innings, making only two decent scores in 12 attempts.

An unbeaten 93 in the third-Test victory over the West Indies at Old Trafford and 83 at The Wanderers were impressive enough but over-zealous critics might even choose to recall that he was dropped twice early on the way to that double century.

Key ended the South Africa tour in possession of the number three spot but the England middle order has become complicated by the decline of Mark Butcher and the failing eyesight of Graham Thorpe as contrasted with the emergence of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell.

Despite making his debut back in 2002 Key actually belongs to the latter group – having just turned 26 he has years on his side but still plenty to prove.

A popular member of the England squad and close friend of Andrew Flintoff, he takes criticism of his not insubstantial paunch with endearing humour.

Unfortunately, likeability and one big innings do not a career make – Key could make England's future a lot clearer by repeating his best form on a more regular basis.