Watson reached his 15th Test half century from 95 deliveries in the 30th over but once again the barrel-chested opener fell short of a three-figure score when he misjudged a reverse-swinging delivery, offering no stroke to a ball which moved back into his pads.

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The latter was his final scoring stroke as an attempt to whip the next delivery through square leg saw him caught by substitute fielder Theo Doropoulos, who had earlier dropped him on 11 at mid-on.

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Kent skipper Key was an early casualty, edging a good delivery from Hoggard to first slip, but Denly had a reprieve on 17 when Andrew Gale dropped his carved stroke at third man off Naved.

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