Durham had a reasonable start to their LVCC match against Somerset but the home-side have taken day one honours in Taunton courtesy of a century to Nick Compton.
After Somerset won the toss and elected to bat they got off to a slow but steady start but it wasn’t long until in-form Durham paceman Graham Onions was on the wicket takers list again.
Onions claimed the wicket of Trescothick with the ball finding the hands of Scott Borthwick in the slips in the 18th over to have Somerset 47-1.
Somerset then steadied through Compton and Suppiah who compiled a 94 run partnership before Onions struck again in the 47th over bowling Suppiah for 36.
Compton who was out to prove a point to England selectors continued to torment the Durham attack and was given a lifeline when a chance was put down in the slips when the Somerset batsman was on 53. He then went on to make a century and was the rock of the home-side’s innings.
The Durham attack persisted however and Will Smith got the breakthrough in the 67th over when he bowled Elgar for 33 followed by spinner Ryan Buckley who trapped Hildreth lbw for 32.
Speedster Mark Wood then got Durham’s 5th wicket when he took the new ball late in the day to bowl Barrow for 25. Compton continued to reside at the crease however and finished 139no with his side 336-5 at the end of Day one.
Post play Mark Wood said:
“It was a warm day and the pitch was good, they played well and we missed a couple of chances. If we took those it would have been an outstanding day.
“Our pacemen Ben Stokes and Graham Onions bowled fantastic, to go at two an over was great. We now can look forward to tomorrow and if we get early wickets I think we would have done well as a bowling unit.
“We missed a half chance to get Compton out (on 53) but you have to give him credit, he showed incredible mental strength with all eyes on him to play and get a 100 it was just a shame it was against us”.