Somerset on top at Taunton

Somerset are on well on top after the first day of their County Championship match against Glamorgan. They bowled the Welsh county out for 200, and finished the day just 39 runs behind with 9 wickets in hand.

Put in on a damp and green Taunton wicket, Glamorgan`s top order struggled against Somerset`s new ball attack, led by West Indian Nixon McLean, who as a youngster played club cricket for Porthcawl.

Glamorgan had slipped to 15-3 in the first hour, before Adrian Dale and Matthew Maynard drew on their experience to mount a brief recovery. But McLean returned for a second spell before lunch during which he dismissed both Dale and Maynard, and when Simon Francis removed young batsman Jonathan Hughes, Glamorgan were 99-6.

Robert Croft then launched a rearguard action, and with the support of wicket-keeper Mark Wallace and fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz, the acting captain saw Glamorgan to their first batting point, before being the last wicket to fall as he was trapped leg before by Aaron Laraman four short of a well deserved half century.

In reply, to Glamorgan`s first innings total of 200, Somerset`s opening batsmen Peter Bowler and Marcus Trecothick shared a first wicket stand of 121 before Trescothick was caught by at deep square-leg by Adrian Dale off the bowling of Alex Wharf for 70 - an innings which lasted just 74 balls and contained 10 fours and 2 sixes.