Hick played for England between 1991 and 2001

Worcestershire's record-breaking batsman Graeme Hick is not going into the 2008 season thinking it will be his last in first-class cricket.

Hick will be 42 in May, and is starting his 24th season at New Road, but he is not making any decision about when he might retire.

"I don't want to approach it as if it's my last season," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"That'll give me negative thoughts, as if I'm counting down to my last days".

He added: "I'm just going to see how things go, and make a decision later in the season."

Hick made his Worcestershire debut in the last game of the 1984 season and since then has beaten almost every batting record in the history of the club.

He starts the 2008 season with 40,423 first class runs and 134 centuries to his name.

Hick says he is fit and ready for the new campaign:

Graeme Hick County debut against Surrey in 1984 Played in 65 tests and 525 first class games Played 641 one day games and scored over 20,000 runs

"Once you are up and running it's OK, but I always have a rest at the end of the season and start again in October.

"Those first few weeks are a bit of a killer, but I've always enjoyed it and it's not too much of a chore.

"You have to enjoy it, it's like everything else in life, if you aren't enjoying your work it becomes so much harder."

Hick says he has not set himself any targets for the 2008 season.

"Just to get through at my age.

"I have an idea in the back of my head what I want to do, but batting down the order sometimes depends on what you can do in the context of the game.

"As long as I feel I'm batting well I'll be happy enough."

Worcestershire's first County Championship game is against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Wednesday, 16 April and there will be full ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Hereford and Worcester.