By Edward Bevan at Cardiff

First day of four: Somerset (80-7) trail Glamorgan (246) by 166 runs

THESE two teams at the corresponding stage last season were involved in the game at Taunton where Glamorgan secured the County Championship at the end of the third day.

This contest is more of a low-key affair, but on a slow, low pitch offering turn, 17 wickets fell during the first day with this game also unlikely to last its full four-day quota.

Somerset had Glamorgan reeling at 24 for three, but they recovered thanks to Adrian Dale (60) - who passed 1,000 runs for the season - and Tony Cottey (64) who added 121 for the fourth wicket.

Michael Powell (49) struck a six and a total of seven fours in an entertaining 62-ball innings, while Adrian Pierson captured four Glamorgan wickets in an unchanged 29-over spell.

Dean Cosker then began to make inroads as Somerset struggled to 80 for seven at the close, losing their last three wickets for only four runs.

The Cardiff pitch was automatically reported but the umpires said at the close that they were ``not at all concerned'' adding that they had ``witnessed some funny batting''.

Day 2: rain, no report

Day 3:

Somerset, having been granted a reprieve by a day's rain at Cardiff on Friday after closing at 80 for seven, tumbled to 133 all out in 51 overs. Glamorgan then piled on the agony; somewhat gratuitously, moving on to 278 for eight and a lead of 391.