Yorkshire's much vaunted fast bowling attack was taken apart at Taunton yesterday by Tasmanian Jamie Cox in his first championship innings for Somerset.

Cox, brought straight in as captain for the new season, scored a faultless 173 in a glorious display of batting in which he faced 247 balls and struck 25 fours and a six.

That Australia can ignore such a talent at Test level is an obvious indication of what batting strengths they have at their disposal.

Cox had already scored 139 against Cambridge University on his debut for Somerset and he was looking looking well set to overtake his highest first class score of exactly 200 for Tasmania off Pakistan when Ryan Sidebottom re-entered the fray and bowled him with his first delivery.

"I was extremely annoyed to get out as I was looking forward to going on and putting together my best score," said Cox.

To rub salt into Yorkshire's wounds, skipper David Byas put Somerset in to bat on an overcast and cool morning which turned into a sunny afternoon and he was soon made to regret his decision.

Yorkshire made left-armer Ian Fisher 12th man, which meant a diet of seam, apart from Vaughan's occasional offerings, but the day still began well for them as Peter Bowler offered no stroke in Chris Silverwood's opening over and was penalised for his misjudgement by losing his off-bail.

Silverwood and Ryan Sidebottom, however, were soon made to suffer by both Cox and Marcus Trescothick who hurried on to 34 in a 61 stand before top-edging a hook at Matthew Hoggard for Anthony McGrath to take a well-judged catch at long leg.

Cox, who was then well supported first by Piran Holloway and then Michael Burns, completed his century off 159 balls with 14 fours, and he had just taken Somerset to 300 for three and a third batting bonus point when he was bowled leg stump by Sidebottom to end a stand of 138 in 31 overs with Burns.

The final hour or so brought Yorkshire some salvation with Jason Kerr lobbing a shorter ball from Craig White to Matthew Wood at square leg and Burns miscuing Hoggard to McGrath at mid-off for 63 with seven boundaries, most of them handsomely struck through the mid-wicket area.

Somerset closed on 362 for six.

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