The batting of Somerset captain Jamie Cox was the feature on the opening day of this Cricinfo Championship match against Essex which saw the Australian batting throughout the day to finish unbeaten on 175 before bad light stopped play with 10 deliveries still to be bowled.

Cox was in a class of his own as his batting colleagues all perished cheaply after he had won the toss. Apart from the Somerset opener, Peter Bowler was the only batsman to reach double figures as the visitors slumped to 139-5 in the 45th over.

They had begun the match in second position chasing the £50,000 prize money for runners-up spot in the CricInfo Division One but gave a far from inspirational performance against their opponents' attack who were rewarded for some impressive seam bowling with Ashley Cowan particularly impressive.

He took two of the wickets to fall to seize the initiative for the bottom of the table side whose relegation was confirmed when Surrey gained their first point in their vital match with Yorkshire.

But the presence of Cox eased Somerset away from their difficult position as the 31-year-old found his first effective support of the innings from Rob Turner who helped his skipper add an unbroken 165 for the sixth wicket, a county record against Essex.

Cox played a number of imperious straight drives and reached his century from 179 deliveries that included 17 boundaries. That was his first Championship ton of the season and he steadily progressed, taking a single to take him on to 123 and thus reach 1,000 runs in the competition this summer.

Cox survived two chances, one difficult to Stuart Law at slip who failed to retain a sharp chance when his fellow countryman had scored 15, and then later in this innings when, with his score 124, he gave a more straightforward catch to 'keeper James Foster with fast bowler Justin Bishop the man to suffer again.

Turner added solid and determined support although he did combine sound defensive qualities with aggressive shots, hoisting off-spinner Peter Such over long-on for six.

He reached his half-century having faced 108 deliveries whilst Cox continued to dominate his opponents' attack to pass 150 from 267 balls that embraced 22 boundaries.

The pair had just achieved a third batting point for Somerset when the umpires offered the light that the batsmen readily accepted.

They will resume tomorrow with their side now in a position of some comfort to build a match-winning position to enhance their claims to the runners-up position at the end of the season which would be Somerset's highest-ever Championship placing.

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