KENT captain Rob Key has handed out a warning to Yorkshire ahead of the final day of the LV County Championship season.

It comes as the two teams are locked in a tight battle at Headingley – with the Tykes needing to win to keep alive hopes of picking up the title and the visitors needing a victory to give them a chance of staying up.

That means that deciding on a declaration seems the most likely way the game can end in a positive result.

“We are not in the business of handing championships to other teams,” said Key.

“My team do not want to see a dull game of cricket, but I do not think it is right to hand out a ridiculous run-chase. If Yorkshire are going to win the title then they will have to do it properly.”

His comments might come as a blow to his opposite number Andrew Gale, who saw his side close on 51 for one in their second innings after they had bowled Kent out for 302.

It gives Yorkshire a narrow second-innings lead of ten runs to take into the final day.

“The way the championship has been this season we have seen sides set up games left, right and centre,”

said Gale.

“I will have a chat with Key in the morning. We will have to come to a happy-medium, but I think that it will be a sorry state for English cricket if we do not have a good game of cricket on the final day.”

Yorkshire might not have had to rely on a declaration if it was not for an innings from one of their own on the penultimate day.

Alex Blake, who studies sport, leisure and culture at Leeds Metropolitan University, hit an unbeaten maiden first-class century to frustrate the Tykes bowlers.

Despite not having a championship 50 to his name before this match, the 21-year-old closed on 105 not out to give Kent a narrow first-innings lead.

His efforts also helped Key’s side over the 300 mark, after more than 50 overs had been lost to poor weather, which saved them from relegation after Warwickshire had picked up a sixth bonus point in their game at Hampshire.

They are still very likely to be relegated by the end of play on Thursday, but Blake’s innings has at least given them hope of survival.

It helped Kent fight back from 261 for nine to their final total of 302 all out, before Yorkshire started positively with the bat to build their slender lead by the close.

Moin Ashraf had earlier finished with figures of 5-32 for Yorkshire, the Tykes’ best in four-day cricket this season, and he will hope for a further chance to bowl at Kent on the final day.

When that happens will be key to Yorkshire’s chances of winning the title.