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

It came with the two teams locked in a tight battle at Headingley, the Tykes needing to win to keep alive hopes of picking up the Division One title and the visitors needing a victory to give them a chance of staying up.

Going into day four it is Yorkshire who hold a slender second-innings lead of only ten runs, meaning that deciding on a declaration appeared the most likely way the game could end in a positive result.

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

“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 be a blow to opposite number Andrew Gale, who saw his side close on 51-1 in their second innings after they had bowled Kent out for 302.

Yet they might not have had to rely on a declaration if it was not for an innings from one of their own.

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 County Championship 50 to his name before this match, 21-year-old Blake closed on 105 not out to give Kent a narrow first-innings lead of 41.

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 immediate 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 tomorrow but Blake’s innings at least gave them hope of survival after helping Kent recover from 261-9 to their 302 final total.

Bradford-born Moin Ashraf had earlier recorded the Tykes’ best figures in four-day cricket this season with a return of 5-32.

Adam Lyth, who was named Yorkshire’s player of the season and fielder of the season at tea, then closed on 26 not out, with Bradfordian Anthony McGrath on four.

Jacques Rudolph, the 2010 players’ player of the year, was the man out for 13.

The other winners at the award ceremony were Jonathan Bairstow and Gurman Randhawa. They respectively picked up the young player of the year and Academy player of the year prizes.