Specsavers County Championship - day one (close)

Somerset 234-4 v Surrey

SOMERSET captain Tom Abell made an excellent unbeaten 88 on his return to the County Championship side as the hosts made a strong start on day one of the crucial County Championship match against Surrey.

The recalled skipper joined forces with Steve Davies, who ended the day on 68 not out, as Somerset recovered from an early wobble to end the day in a satisfactory position.

Having been inserted to bat, the home side started solidly as Marcus Trescothick hit six early boundaries to get the scoreboard moving.

Just as he looked well set, however, the opener edged Stuart Meaker to Scott Borthwick at second slip and had to depart for 26 with the score at 43-1.

That rapidly became 47-3 as Tim Rouse and James Hildreth both fell to ducks from successive Rikki Clarke deliveries, leaving Abell to come in and repair the damage.

The 23-year-old survived the hat-trick ball and grew in confidence as the session progressed, seeing the side through to 92-3 at lunch alongside Eddie Byrom.

Byrom, having batted well throughout the morning for his 38, added just four more to his total after the interval before being bowled by Gareth Batty to leave the hosts on 96-4.

Steve Davies joined his captain in the middle and showed no ill effects from yesterday's T20 duck against the same opposition, lifting Batty for six as the wicketkeeper got into his stride against his former club.

Abell soon brought up his half-century from 101 balls, with Davies' arriving later in the afternoon from 81 balls with four 4s and the aforementioned six.

The pair's unbroken partnership had reached 138 when the forecast rain arrived, leaving Abell going into tomorrow morning 12 runs shy of a first century of the season.

Davies, meanwhile, has already moved past his highest score in a Somerset shirt and will hope to continue his momentum when play resumes.