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Key steps down as Kent captain

Rob Key has overseen a period of one-day success at Canterbury © Getty Images

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Rob Key, the former England batsman, has resigned as Kent captain after seven years with James Tredwell replacing him.

Key has spent his entire career at Kent and steps down having become one of the county's longest serving captains.

Key succeeded David Fulton at the end of the 2005 season and led the county to a period of one-day success. Kent reached three successive Twenty20 finals days from 2007 - the year Kent won the title - and the 2008 Friends Provident final, where Kent lost to Essex.

Key also oversaw the county's return to Division One of the County Championship in 2009, bouncing straight back up as champions of Division Two having become the last county to be relegated since two divisions were in introduced.

Having made his debut as an 18-year-old in 1998, Key has made 253 first-class appearances for Kent, scoring 16,731 runs at 41.31, including 46 centuries.

Tredwell, 27, takes over having equally become part of the furniture at Canterbury with 128 first-class appearances and 335 wickets since his debut in 2001.

"With the rich tradition of the club and all the great players and captains before, what a great honour it is to be asked to fulfil this position," he said. "Having come through the Kent system, it is with great pride I take on this challenge.

"I would like to pass on my best wishes to Rob, being under his leadership on a personal note has taken my game forward and been a pleasure to play for. To fill his shoes will be a tough job as he is tactically, in my opinion, second to none.

"I see this opportunity as the next step in my career, and am really excited with the chance to tackle this challenge."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.