A FINE century stand between Andy Bichel and Graeme Hick steered Worcestershire to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Gloucestershire in their weather-hit Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final at Bristol yesterday.

The County won with 8.2 overs to spare when the rain- soaked conditions dried up sufficiently for the match to resume at 3.30pm.

Gloucestershire, bidding for a place in the final for the fourth consecutive year, added ten more runs to their overnight total leaving skipper Hick's men a victory target 204.

Bichel was promoted to open the innings and responded so well that he ended up collecting his second Gold Award of the season after cracking an undefeated 94.

He said: "I managed to get myself in and bat right through to the end. It was pleasing for myself to be able to do that."

He began by putting on 74 in 18 overs with Anurag Singh who made 30. Bichel and Hick then combined forces to end Gloucester-shire's impressive record of winning their last 12 Benson matches at Bristol.

Hick was eventually dismissed for 66 when he fell victim to a juggling catch at mid-off by Michael Smith off paceman Jonathan Lewis. He hit four fours off 69 balls.

He said: "We had maybe the better side of the match batting second. But we had to go out and perform well and we did that as a team of 11."

Bichel was still there at the end after notching 11 fours off 127 deliveries.