Langer averages 41.77 for Somerset in this season's championship

Justin Langer has paid tribute to Donald Bradman after passing the legendary player's record run total for an Australian batsman.

The Somerset captain passed Bradman's haul of 28,067 first-class runs during a knock of 107 against Worcestershire.

"I'm thrilled to beat the record," he said. "Not so much to go past Bradman because he is in a league of his own.

"Scoring this many runs is a tribute to having played for such a long time and having worked so hard."

Langer, 38, took 20 minutes to score the six runs he needed, having resumed on 89 on the third morning of the rain-hit match at New Road.

He went past the milestone with a cover drive for four off Matt Mason from the ninth ball he faced.

606: DEBATE Langer's a brilliant batsman, an astute captain and by all accounts a top bloke robindunford1

Langer went on to complete his century - his 86th in his first-class cricket and 100th in all competitions - before being caught by Ben Smith off the bowling of Mason, leaving him on 28,080 career runs in total.

This was the ground where Bradman scored three double centuries - 236 in 1930, 206 in 1934 and 258 in 1938 - and then signed off with 107 on his final visit in 1948.

Langer, now in his 18th year in first-class cricket since making his debut for Western Australia, reached the milestone in his 615th innings compared to only 338 by the great Bradman.

"I would never have thought about this target," he said. "But a lot of people have reminded me of it over the last couple of months.

"And I've got other milestones I'd like to tick off throughout this summer."

I still feel I've got some cricket left in me and I'm enjoying this at Somerset Justin Langer

After an earlier spell in county cricket with Middlesex, Langer made his debut for Somerset in 2006 and became captain the following season. Born in Perth, he also captained Western Australia up to the 2006/07 season.

Langer's first-class haul includes the 7,696 runs he scored in 105 Tests, many of which came in a productive opening partnership for Australia with his friend Matthew Hayden.

Since scoring a century against Tasmania in his last match for Western Australia in March 2008, he has played exclusively for Somerset.

Somerset are currently second in the County Championship, 36 points behind leaders Durham but with a game in hand on the reigning champions.

"I still feel I've got some cricket left in me and I'm enjoying this project at Somerset," added Langer.

"From where we were three years ago to be challenging in all First Division competitions is really good."

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