GRAEME Hick was left out of England's plans for the first Test against Australia but he remains one of the most ruthless accumulators in good batting conditions.

On a lifeless pitch against a weakened Derbyshire attack, Hick plundered 171 as Worcestershire piled up 390 for five on the first day of their Cricinfo Championship Division Two match.

A big innings from the Worcestershire skipper always looked on the cards after he won the toss and batted first on another hot day against a Derbyshire team that even with returning England discard Dominic Cork was well below strength.

Seamers Tim Munton, Kevin Dean and Trevor Smith were all injured, and on a flat pitch Hick notched up his 115th first-class century -- his first at Derby.

Cork took the field 20 minutes after the start and although he was spoken to by umpire Nigel Cowley for running on the wicket, he struck in his fifth over when Philip Weston played around a straight delivery and was lbw for 17 after an opening stand of 56.

Anurag Singh made 60 before he top edged a hook at Cork and was caught by Chris Bassano running from mid-wicket, but that was their last success until well into the final session.

Hick and Vikram Solanki took the bowling apart on a surface that allowed no margin for error, with Hick reaching his third century in four championship innings with his 16th four, a lofted drive against off-spinner Nathan Dumelow.

It was only his second hundred against Derbyshire and he showed he was in the mood to make it a sizeable one by driving the next ball through the covers for another four.

There was no respite at the other end as Solanki reeled off some glorious strokes, on-driving left-arm spinner Lian Wharton for six and pulling him for another on his way to a half-century.

The third-wicket stand had added 198, a Worcestershire record against Derbyshire, when a brilliant piece of fielding ended Hick's innings. He on-drove Rob Bailey but Paul Aldred took a superb tumbling catch at wide long-on. Hick had faced only 209 balls for his 171, which included 25 fours.

Solanki reached his first championship century of the season by driving Dumelow for his fourth six and had made 109 when he was caught.

Worcestershire soon lost Nick Boulton today, caught by Cork off Welch for seven, but Andy Bichel and Steve Rhodes confidently took their side past the 400 mark.