Somerset suffer without Trescothick

Hampshire 124 for 1 v Somerset 204
Scorecard

Murali Kartik hit his highest score for title-chasing Somerset after their depleted batting line-up had folded tamely but it was bottom side Hampshire in control following the opening day of the County Championship Division One clash at Taunton.

Coming in at 86 for 7, the Indian left-arm spinner scored an unbeaten 59 to help Somerset to an unlikely batting bonus point before they were bowled out for 204. James Tomlinson took three for 40 from 16 overs at the ground where he recorded career-best figures of 8 for 46 in 2008.

In reply, Hampshire reached 124 for 1 by the close to complete a highly satisfactory day. Acting-captain Jimmy Adams, who had won the toss, was unbeaten on 57 and Michael Carberry 65 not out. Somerset were without skipper Marcus Trescothick and Nick Compton through injury, while Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler were away on England Twenty20 duty.

Teenager Alex Barrow took advantage of an opportunity to open by hitting a highly promising 36. But James Hildreth, with 32, was the only other top seven batsman to reach double figures. Tomlinson started the rot by scattering Arul Suppiah's stumps when he had made only three and went on to dismiss Hildreth and substitute wicketkeeper Steve Snell, who is due to be replaced by the returning Buttler for tomorrow's play.

There were two wickets each for Chris Wood, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Imran Tahir, but Somerset's demise owed more to poor shots than any assistance the Hampshire bowlers found from the pitch.

That was proved when Kartik and Alfonso Thomas (27) added 64 for the eighth wicket after lunch. Kartik went on to face 83 balls, hitting sixes off Tomlinson and Mascarenhas, as well as five fours. His previous best score for Somerset was 52 not out, made against Essex at Colchester last season.

The Hampshire reply got off to a bad start when Liam Dawson fell leg-before to Charl Willoughby in the opening over. Adams and Carberry then had to survive some testing deliveries from Willoughby and Steve Kirby.

But as the shine went off the ball the two batsmen began to prosper, playing with increasing freedom. Adams survived a confident appeal for a catch behind off Kirby shortly before reaching his half-century off 95 balls, with seven fours. Carberry's fifty soon followed, off 99 balls with nine fours, and together the pair's century stand in 32 overs gave the visitors a stranglehold on the game.

During the morning Trescothick received the results of a scan on his injured ankle. They showed tears to two tendons and he will begin a rehabilitation programme on Friday, not knowing whether he will be able to play again this season.