“Unfulfilled promise” has often been a phrase used to describe Graeme Hick’s career, so it may be cruelly apt if his final season before retirement is cut short by injury.
It seems the Worcestershire faithful will miss the chance to say one last goodbye to their favorite adopted son after the county announced on Tuesday that the Zimbabwe-born batsman was “highly unlikely” to appear in their final two matches after the recurrence of an elbow injury.
That means the former England international is set to miss the four-day County Championship match against Middlesex starting on Wednesday.
A prolific performer at county level — his tally of 136 first-class centuries puts him eighth on the all-time list.
Earlier this season, Hick surpassed former England captain Graham Gooch’s record for most runs in all senior cricket and now has more than 64,000 to his name, but he was unable to take that form into the international arena.
Born in Harare, Hick had to serve a seven-year qualification period before making his England debut in 1991, during which time he was repeatedly touted as the savior of the team.
Hick did though take his share of responsibility for his failings, telling Tuesday’s Guardian newspaper: “I came from a country [Zimbabwe] where we had no professional sport and so I had a naive philosophy. I saw it as a game that should be enjoyed. I never had that cut-throat edge. Maybe that’s why I sometimes fell short.”
Hick contrasted his approach with that of South Africa-born Kevin Pietersen, the current England captain.
“He has that hard-edged belief,” Hick said. “It is arrogance, but maybe that’s what you need at the highest level. But Pietersen is wonderfully entertaining — anyone who loves cricket would say he’s the guy you would pay to watch batting.”
Hick’s placid nature led to one of umpire Dickie Bird’s more famous rebukes, when Hick was being verbally abused by Merv Hughes.
“What’s that nice Mr Hick ever done to you?” a bemused Bird asked the Australia fast bowler.
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