London: Graeme Hick struck his 100th hundred for Worcestershire Thursday to become only the eighth player to score a century of centuries for a single county.
Northamptonshire were bundled out for 67 in reply to Worcestershire’s 543/9 declared. Zaheer Khan was the wrecker-in-chief with 5/27. Lance Klusener top scored with 21. Sourav was castled by Zaheer for 2. Following on, Northants were 76 for two.
Hick, unbeaten on 93 overnight in a second division County match against Northamptonshire, completed the feat in front of Worcestershire’s home fans at New Road. It didn’t take long for Hick to add the seven required runs he needed for his hundred.
A flicked single off his legs against Australia seamer Matthew Nicholson took him to the landmark in 182 balls with one six and 11 fours.
Hick’s total of 130 first class hundreds means he has now moved into eighth-place in the all-time list, overtaking former England captain and opening batsman Sir Len Hutton.England legend Sir Jack Hobbs heads the all-time list with 197 first-class centuries.
Worcestershire’s director of cricket, Steve Rhodes, said: “Graeme has achieved something that not many people can dream of doing.
Most First-class Centuries for One Team
Graeme Hick’s 139 against Northamptonshire was his 100th century for his county Worcestershire. He becomes the only eighth batsman in first-class cricket history to register 100 or more centuries for a single team. The following is the list of players who have most centuries for one team:
• 144 centuries — JB Hobbs, Surrey (1905-1934) in 598 matches
• 138 centuries — CP Mead, Hampshire (1905-1936) in 700 matches
• 122 centuries — FE Woolley, Kent (1906-1938) in 764 matches
• 119 centuries — EH Hendren, Middlesex (1907-1937) in 581 matches
• 113 centuries — WR Hammond, Gloucestershire (1920-1951) in 405 matches
• 112 centuries —H. Sutcliffe, Yorkshire (1919-1945) in 602 matches
• 103 centuries —G. Boycott, Yorkshire (1962-1986) in 414 matches
• 100 centuries —GA Hick, Worcestershire (1984-2006) in 352 matches
Compiled by Mohandas Menon
