GRAEME Hick ended the worst run in his 21 years in English cricket with 107 from 96 balls as Worcestershire narrowly failed to reach a target of 352 in 60 overs in a draw with Essex at New Road.

The 39-year-old former England batsman had gone 17 innings without a first-class 50 and had waited since April to reach the 128th century of his career, which puts him level with Essex's Graham Gooch in ninth place in the all-time list.

Ben Smith, unbeaten with 154 in the first innings, supported Hick with 76 but Worcestershire were tantalisingly short of their objective on 348-5 on the last day of the Frizzell County Championship season.

They finished sixth in Division Two and Essex dropped a place to fifth after holding a promotion spot in August.

Hick took only 84 balls to reach his 98th century for Worcestershire and they needed 61 from 49 deliveries when he was stumped, going down the pitch to left-arm spinner Tim Phillips, after a third-wicket partnership of 172 in 24 overs with Smith.

Phillips then became the key man for Essex with further wickets in successive overs as Smith and Vikram Solanki were both caught trying to clear the leg-side boundary.

Wicketkeeper Steven Davies and Gareth Batty needed 11 from the last over, bowled by Ravi Bopara, but Davies (26no) clipped a four to backward square-leg off the fifth ball.

With five required from the final delivery bowled in the Championship this season, the batsmen could only take a single.

Hick's return to form was a fraught process at first. An edge behind the wicket off Bopara before he had scored failed to carry but he began to settle after a six to third-man and finally left the field to a standing ovation after hitting four sixes and nine fours in a little over two hours.

The spadework for Worcestershire's run-chase was down to Stephen Moore, who made 45 to sign off a personal-best season with 1,399 runs, and Daryl Mitchell (53). The openers put on 91 before Bopara flattened Moore's off stump and then held a return chance from Mitchell.

Despite the loss of 60 overs because of rain on the third day, the match produced more than 1,500 runs and closed on a high after an overnight declaration by Worcestershire and Essex's dash to 201-1 in two hours.

Alastair Cook exploited the undemanding situation by finishing the campaign as he began it in April -- with 120 for the MCC against Warwickshire at Lord's. An unbeaten 117, including 21 fours from 144 balls, took the National Academy left-hander to 1,466 runs for the season at an average of 54.29.

Mitchell took the only wicket when Will Jefferson (20) fell to a fine catch by Moore, but Bopara supported Cook with 58no from 49 balls, mostly served up by occasional bowlers, Solanki and Smith.