A CENTURY from former England batsman Graeme Hick led Worcestershire to victory over minnows Herefordshire in their Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy fourth round match against Worcestershire at New Road, writes Jeremy Finney.

But Minor Counties Herefordshire had their own star in Ravi Nagra, declared man-of-the-match for his own brilliant hundred.

All-rounder Nagra was a late call to replace injured bowler Andre Adams and came up trumps with a superb batting display to compile the first Herefordshire century in the competition.

The 22-year-old student went in at number three and reached a chanceless century in the 36th over before departing at 193 for six. His 105 came off 106 balls and contained 12 fours and two sixes.

Herefordshire, the giant-killers of Middlesex a fortnight previously, were put in to bat in overcast conditions and were all out for 210 in 47 overs.

They made a positive start with Harshad Patel, man of the match against Middlesex, and Nathan Round taking nine off the first over bowled by Andy Bichel. Patel went at the start of the fifth over when Bichel trapped him lbw for five. But Round, aged 20, was then joined by Nagra and they progressed to 35 off seven overs before Worcestershire skipper Hick made his first bowling change with Stuart Lampitt coming on at the Diglis end for Alamgir Sheriyar who had conceded 19 runs off three overs.

The youngsters continued to make good progress however at around five an over and the 50 came up in the 12th over.

Round was batting confidently but with the score at 76 in the 16th over he mistimed a shot off Lampitt and was caught by Anurag Singh for 41 off 52 balls including five fours.

Skipper Chris Boroughs joined Nagra who was batting freely and the 100 came up in the 20th over. Nagra completed his half-century at a run a ball with five fours and a six.

However, he lost two partners in quick succession at 123 when Boroughs was caught by Singh off Sheriyar and Ismail Dawood was trapped lbw by Bichel.

Nagra was then joined by another 23-year-old, Andy Edwards, in a stand of 54 before Edwards was caught behind by Rhodes off Kabir Ali for 16 at 177 for five in the 34th over. Nagra completed his 100 before Karl Pearson was bowled by Ali for four at 189 for six. Nagra followed in the 43rd over caught by David Leatherdale off Lampitt for his 105.

Herefordshire lost their last six wickets for 39 runs in 13 overs with Lampitt taking three for 36, Ali three for 35 and Bichel three for 36.

Worcestershire looked for runs from the start of their reply but attempted to scamper one quick single too many and Phil Weston was run out by Round for five in the fifth over from Paul Thomas.

Hick got off the mark with a four off Davies in the eighth over and followed up with two more boundaries.

Thomas and Davies were replaced by former Nottinghamshire and Gloucestershire seamer Kevin Cooper and Nagra but the 50 came up in the 11th over as Hick and Anurag Singh continued the run chase.

The 100 arrived in the 21st over before Cooper knocked back Singh's off stump to break the 90-run parnership scored off 16 overs.

Singh scored 42 but Hick looked in ominous form and reached his half-century two overs later with nine fours included. The home side progressed to 189 in 33 overs before Vikram Solanki was caught by Boroughs off Aamir Farooque for a hard-hitting 41.

Hick went to 101 not out, which included 16 fours in 92 balls and victory came off the first ball of the following 38th over with a boundary from Leatherdale, 14 not out.