HAVING been suckered into bowling on another batsman-friendly Taunton track, Durham fought back to keep their hopes of another County Championship win alive.

Somerset did their best to trick Durham into being played out of this game, but even after 409 first-day runs they are not simply playing for a draw.

When Phil Mustard is the opposition captain, you pretty much have to accept the game will be played on his terms. In 2011 he has never lost a toss, so Somerset had a cunning plan.

When the groundstaff removed the covers it revealed a grassy pitch. The visitors fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Durham abandoned the two-spinner policy which has been an article of faith in four-day cricket this season, drafting in a fourth specialist seamer, and decided to bowl.

Taunton is a batsman’s paradise and a bit of green covering is, it would appear, neither here nor there. The locals reckon it has been greener this year but Durham were lured in by an eyeful of emerald. Slowly but surely, Marcus Trescothick made them regret it.

Early wickets are a must if you choose to bowl first over four days. Durham managed just one before lunch with seam movement minimal and blue skies not aiding swing.

The extra seamer could not be blamed. With only two Championship matches before yesterday, Mitchell Claydon was in danger of becoming a white-ball specialist. Of all the seamers he performed best, finding the accuracy to go with decent pace. Most of all, he got extra bounce.

While Claydon has been Twenty20 cannon fodder, Stephen Harmison has rested. It has done the latter much more good, as Harmison’s 10-0-65-0 demonstrated. His first bowl in July was cut short after two overs, costing 16.