DURHAM'S seamers did not get the help they were hoping for on a grassy Taunton pitch this morning.

After winning the toss, choosing to bowl, and dispensing with their season-long two-spinner strategy, captain Phil Mustard must have been hoping for better than a lunchtime score of 105-1in today's County Championship encounter.

But opening batsmen Marcus Trescothick and Arul Suppiah were caused few problems by the Durham attack during a stand of 98.

Unusually, county cricket's most prolific batsman this season had to take a back seat, with Suppiah  dominating the scoring.

The pitch has been cut a long way from the pavilion, but the boundary ropes remain right on the edge of the playing surface. The result is a very lop-sided field, with a short boundary to the west and the possibilities of all-run fours to the east.

Not suprisingly, both openers peppered the nearer rope early on, although as the morning session went on, their growing confidence was illustrated by the growing number into the opposite side.

On only his third Championship appearance of the season, Mitchell Claydon was the Riversiders' best bowler, combining pace with the accuracy some of his colleagues lacked.

He also seemed to find extra bounce, and was eventually rewarded with the wicket of Suppiah, who steered him straight into the safe hands of Michael Di Venuto at second slip for 52.

The right-hander hit some lovely shots straight and through the covers, scoring eight fours in a half-century off 65 deliveries. The shot which took him to the landmark was one of the few false ones played all morning, edged through third slip. Had anyone been there, it would have been the first chance of the session.

When Suppiah was out, Trescothick had contributed 36 to their opening stand of 98. By lunch the former England captain was 42 not out.

Bowling first change from the River End, Stephen Harmison's opening spell lasted just two wayward overs, which leaked 16 runs. The first of them featured a no-ball and a wide, and he was fortunate not to be wided more often for overcompensating down the legside to Trescothick after twice being cut to the short boundary.

It was a painful session all round for Durham, Graham Onions clattering into the boundary boards fielding a Suppiah straight drive and Will Smith wearing a pull from Trescothick at short leg. Neither man left the field.

Read Friday's Journal for a full report of the opening day's play from Taunton.