LONDON, April 29: Former England batsman Graeme Hick scored his 127th first-class hundred on Thursday to move above WG Grace into 10th place on the all-time list of century makers. The 38-year-old hit 176 off 231 balls as his Worcestershire side made 306 in the first innings of their county championship match against Lancashire at New Road.

But despite smashing eight sixes and 20 fours to register his 97th ton for Worcestershire, he insisted its value to the team was far more important to him than individual records.

“Records are not something I’m really concerned about,” said Hick.

“All I’m concerned about is doing my job properly for Worcestershire. But scoring centuries still gives me great pleasure, maybe even more so at this stage of my career because I don’t know how many more I’ve got in me.”

Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took 5-69 for Lancashire before his team closed on 47-1 at stumps on day two of the division two match.

Close of play scores on Thursday:

County Championship:

Division One:

At Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 250 (M.A. Wallace 96, D.L. Hemp 60; Mohammad Akram 4-67); Surrey 162-4 (M.R. Ramprakash 72 not out)

At Bristol: Kent 339-6 (R.W.T. Key 164, M.J. Walker 109) v Gloucestershire.

At Trent Bridge: Sussex 379 (R.S.C. Martin-Jenkins 66 not out, M.J. Prior 65, M.H. Yardy 54); Nottinghamshire 32-0.

At Edgbaston: Middlesex 298 (E.C. Joyce 92, S.B. Styris 53); Warwickshire 277-6 (I.R. Bell 143 not out).

Division Two:

At Derby: Northamptonshire 451-7 declared (M.L. Love 168, B.M. Shafayat 161; G. Welch 4-91); Derbyshire 135-4.

At Taunton: Somerset 190; Essex 224-3 (A.N. Cook 111, R.S. Bopara 71 not out).

At New Road: Lancashire 196 (W.K. Hegg 69 not out) and 47-1; Worcestershire 306 (G.A. Hick 176; M. Muralitharan 5-69).—AFP