CRAIG Overton claimed 3-25 as Somerset fought back against Warwickshire on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship clash at Taunton on Monday.

Seventeen wickets fell on an action-packed day at the Cooper Associates County Ground, as early Division 1 leaders Somerset were bowled out for 209, with Oliver Hannon-Darby claiming a career-best 5-18.

But Warwickshire’s batsmen also struggled on a green-tinged pitch, slumping to 79-5 as Craig Overton took three of the wickets, before closing on 110-7 to give the hosts an overnight lead of 99 runs.

Somerset’s total was boosted by 47 Extras, and the top score by a batsman on either side was the 36 made by Josh Davey – the Somerset seamer coming into the team in place of the injured Jack Brooks.

The tone for the day was set at the end of the second over when Marcus Trescothick edged Hannon-Dalby to Will Rhodes at second slip; Trescothick departed for five and has made only 34 runs in five Championship innings this season.

Somerset adopted something of a cavalier approach, scoring quickly, but losing wickets.

James Hildreth was caught at backward-point cutting Henry Brookes, and Hannon-Dalby pinned Tom Abell lbw to make it 57-3.

Liam Norwell then Azhar Ali with a full delivery and when George Bartlett was bowled off his midriff trying to pull a ball from Brookes, the hosts were 77-5.

Lewis Gregory contributed 20 before he too fell to Hannon-Dalby, and at lunch the home side were 143-6 from just 29 overs.

Overton was bowled by Norwell in the first over after the interval before Steve Davies and Davey put together a stand of 58 to at least earn a single batting point.

Davies (23) fell lbw to Jeetan Patel; Davey followed with the score still on 205, and the hosts were all out soon after, losing their last three wickets for just four runs.

Warwickshire’s reply had reached 13 when a mix-up over a single between Dom Sibley and Rhodes saw the latter run out by Abell for eight.

It was 29-2 in the 11th over when Yates edged Overton through to wicketkeeper Davies, and from 42-2 at tea, the visitors slid into trouble as the impressive Overton sent back Sam Hain and Adam Hose, both lbw.

Hose had made only two against his old club and Warwickshire were 53-4.

Sibley looked solid in reaching 26, but then fell to a brilliant low diving catch by Overton at gully, off Tim Groenewald.

Tim Ambrose joined the long list of batting casualties when bowled off an inside edge by Gregory, and Brookes fell to Leach in the final over of the day.