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Day 1: Cox makes his mark

David Grose at Fenner's

First day of three: Cambridge Univ (13-1) trail Somerset (338-1) by 325 runs

Welcome to England, Jamie Cox. The 29-year-old Tasmanian imported by Somerset as their overseas player and captain began his new life with a century against Cambridge University at Fenner's yesterday.

And not to be outdone, Peter Bowler, the man he succeeds as captain at Taunton, scored what has become his usual hundred off the students.

Although both will face sterner tests in the coming weeks against better bowlers than these generous students, their runs will have been welcomed by a county that found them in short supply last season.

Cox, hitting cleanly either side of cover, gave one chance to opposition captain Quentin Hughes off Chris Sayers when in the 70s and was given the benefit of the doubt following a confident appeal for a catch behind 10 runs later.

But he reached his century from 181 balls with 11 fours and a six and added a further 37 before holing out on the long-off boundary. By then, Bowler, who began life as a Derbyshire batsman with a century on the same ground, had reached three figures with 11 fours from 228 balls.

The pair had put on 278 largely untroubled runs and a little later Cox declared, leaving Cambridge a difficult 30 minutes in failing light.

Day 2: Imraan style recalls his famous forebears

David Grose at Fenner's

Second day of three: Somerset (338-1 dec & 67-1) lead Cambridge Univ (247-4 dec) by 158 runs.

There can be few batsmen playing first-class cricket who have a better pedigree than Imraan Mohammed. The son of Sadiq, the Cambridge University student can also boast Hanif, Mushtaq and Wazir as uncles.

He might not possess the ability of his famous forebears, but yesterday against Somerset at Fenner's he showed great technique and mental ability when scoring his second first-class century. Unlike his father, a classical left-hander, Imraan favours the on-side, prompting the county to pack the leg side with seven fielders as a century neared. Somerset were handicapped by the early departure of Paul Jarvis, whose county debut ended when he pulled up after six overs with hamstring trouble. He promptly left the field and returned to Taunton for treatment.

Without their new strike bowler, Somerset found that only Graham Rose and Adrian Pierson had the control to contain a student batting side whose ability has this season been matched by their application. Imraan shared a second-wicket stand of 107 with the obdurate Ken Walker, who batted three hours for 31.

Imraan's 15th four took him to his century from 185 balls and later his skipper, Quentin Hughes, hit fifty before confidently declaring 91 runs behind. Somerset stretched their lead to 158 in the final 70 minutes.