SOMERSET captain Justin Langer has become the leading Australian first-class runs scorer.

He passed Donald Bradman’s record of 28,067 runs during his innings of 107 against Worcestershire on Thursday.

He said: "I'm thrilled to beat the record.

"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."

The 38-year-old 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.

Langer, 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, but a lot of people have reminded me of it over the last couple of months.”

Langer's haul includes the 7,696 runs he scored in 105 Tests.

SOMERSET had reduced Worcestershire to 164-6 in their first innings at the third day of the Championship match at New Road yesterday (Thursday).

Charl Willoughby picked up two of the wickets to fall with Andy Caddick, David Stiff and Alfonso Thomas getting one apiece.

Somerset declared their first innings on 428-6 – Marcus Trescothick (147) and Justin Langer (107) scored centuries – while the entire first day was lost to rain.