Ton-machine Hick enjoys cricket life in the forties

HE HAS had a career which has seen him go from being the new Bradman to the England scrapheap and now he's revered as an elder statesman of the county game. Graeme Hick may be 41, but he has another year on his contract at Worcestershire and played well enough this season to make the official county championship 'team of the season'.

He said he was not driven by records - though 40,000 runs is a milestone recently passed - and 'love of the game' kept him and some other notable veterans going.

'The hunger is still there,' he said, having been retired while in full flow in the Barclays Wealth six-a-sides at Port Soif.

'We'll have to wait and see how it goes next year, but if I perform as I have done this year and the club feels the same, I could go on.

'I still have a love of the game. So do some of the others, Ramprakash, Caddick, Mushy: they are all guys in their late 30s. If you're playing at that age, you must enjoy the game, and take a real pride in what you're doing and make sure you keep performing. If you don't, people start pointing the finger at you.'

Mark Ramprakash was, like Hick, seen as an enigma of the international game. But his prolific county form in the last few years means that some would like to see him recalled to England colours at the age of 38 and five years after his last Test.

'If you're picking on form, you'd certainly pick him,' said Hick. 'He's batting so beautifully, but I would be surprised if he was selected.'

Which brings us to Hick's Test career.

Hick is genial company in a grabbed moment beneath a blaring tannoy, but seems to stiffen slightly when I ask the question that seems to be the right of every England fan - what happened in international cricket? He wears the look of someone who has heard it too many times.

'I had moments,' he said, 'but on reflection it was inconsistent. I had some good times, some bad times, but I'm not really interested in talking about it now. I'll keep that for myself.'

Now with 40,000 runs and 134 first-class centuries behind him, what else can drive a guy like Hick?

'I want to help Worcestershire be a better side and win and play each game as it comes.

'I have never really chased milestones. If you're playing well they just come around, and people say you've passed this many runs or that score.'