Trescothick reaches 1,000 mark

Marcus Trescothick became the first Division One player to pass 1,000 runs this term

Marcus Trescothick became the first batsman to score 1,000 runs in Division One of the LV County Championship this season as Somerset dominated a rain-shortened opening day against Surrey at Taunton.

The former England opener went into the game needing 44 to reach the milestone and was unbeaten on 46 when a heavy shower ended play just after 5.30pm with Somerset 110 without loss.

Mark Ramprakash’s decision to invite the hosts to bat on a greenish pitch backfired from the start as Justin Langer and Trescothick blasted 36 off 3.5 overs before heavy rain caused 57 overs to be lost.

When play resumed at 4.20pm Langer raced to his half-century off 57 balls, with nine fours.

The Somerset captain attacked at every opportunity and was 55 not out at the close. The second interruption meant only 21.3 overs were bowled in the day.

Pedro Collins suffered most of the Surrey bowlers, his six overs with the new ball being dispatched for 43 runs.

Jade Dernbach went for 28 off five and by the time Chris Jordan was introduced as first change in the 12th over the total was 76.

Langer set the tone by hitting the second ball of the morning from Collins through the covers for four. Bad weather was already threatening and the Australian scored 24 in the first three overs.

Somerset were flying when the rain intervened for the first time, with Trescothick also looking in menacing form.

He produced a series of powerful cover drives to bludgeon 10 fours in his 65-ball innings, again demonstrating the immense talent, which has been lost all too soon by England.

Langer had to be in cavalier mood to outscore his partner and both were clearly intent on moving the game along with the prospect of more rain tomorrow.

Surrey’s bowling was not especially loose, but any width of error in length was punished and the quality of strokes meant boundaries were plentiful despite the wet outfield.

Trescothick has only two championship centuries to his name this summer, but has been ultra-consistent and is averaging 55.