Sussex 145 for 6 (Well 54) v Somerset
Scorecard

Somerset wrested back the initiative in dramatic style at the close of a rain-affected first day against Sussex. Resuming on 105 for 2 after the third of the day's interruptions for rain, Sussex lost four more wickets as Somerset's seam attack fully exploited the conditions, getting plenty of swing and finding movement off a wicket with grass left on it.

Somerset had bowled tightly throughout the morning and afternoon but, despite two wickets in two balls from Lewis Gregory, saw countless deliveries beat the bat or drop just short of the slip cordon.

The breakthrough came as Sussex were starting to edge in front after Luke Wells and Chris Nash had brought up a gritty 50 partnership in 23 overs. Craig Overton got a ball to cut back off the surface and trim Nash's bails as the batsman was left in two minds whether to cut or leave.

Four overs later, Peter Trego struck in his opening over to end a two-and-a-half hour vigil from Wells, who hit an elegant 54 off 122 balls, frustrating the Somerset bowlers in between the showers.

Wells lived dangerously early on. Almost run out without facing in the first over, he edged a number of boundaries through the slip cordon during the morning session before starting to score runs on both sides of the wicket as the afternoon went on. He admitted after close that it was a pitch he never felt comfortable on, with the rain delays meaning he had to play himself in each time.

Trego struck again in his third over as Craig Cachopa played forward and got an edge through to Jim Allenby at first slip. Trego's figures by this stage were 3-2-4-2. The momentum firmly shifted Somerset's way as they claimed a fourth wicket towards the close of play when Ben Brown edged Alfonso Thomas to Trescothick at slip for 9.

Somerset had won the toss and put Sussex in. After surviving a tight, but never penetrating, opening spell, Wells and opening partner Ed Joyce started to look increasingly comfortable and score runs on both sides of the wicket before the first of the day's interruptions for rain at 47 for 0 from 15 overs.

One over after the resumption, Gregory struck with consecutive deliveries. First, Joyce got an edge through to Michael Bates behind the stumps, attempting to pull, for 28. Matt Machan then prodded at a good-length ball and edged to Allenby.

It was a much tighter spell from Somerset, which saw them concede 25 runs from 8.2 overs before the rain returned with some force to bring an early lunch and leave pools of water on the covers and puddles on the outfield.

Somerset's director of cricket, Matthew Maynard, was impressed with the way his charges had gone about their business. "The way that we bowled today was very reminiscent of the way we bowled against Hampshire," he said. "We were very disciplined with good skills and the ball was swinging but they didn't try to get too greedy and try too many things, we just kept on trying to hit our lines.

"I don't think that we got our rewards in the first session but just said to keep on hitting good areas and going past the bat and hopefully find the edge which is what happened and we are in a good position after day one."

Wells pointed to the quality of batting still to come in the Sussex line-up and said that if they could scrap out a total between 200 and 250, it would be very competitive on this surface.