THINGS happen when Somerset visit Riverside. Last season they were dismissed for 56 as Durham beat them by 318 runs; yesterday Richard Johnson thrashed a century off a mere 63 balls.

It was comfortably the fastest first-class century of the season, beating the 80-ball mark set by New Zealander Andre Adams for Essex against Leicestershire, and also the fastest against Durham in 13 years of first-class cricket. The previous best was 71 balls by Surrey's Ali Brown at Durham University in 1992.

Johnson's whirlwind effort included nine fours and six sixes and enlivened what threatened to be a meaningless day's play, in which Somerset declared at 400 for eight, leaving Durham with 38 overs to survive in their second innings.

They could have had seven more overs in which to make life uncomfortable for their hosts had they declared at 350, but they opted for the extra batting point.

Bearing in mind that they themselves were dismissed in 19.4 overs at Riverside last season, it was surprising they didn't go for the jugular against their rock bottom opponents, who finished on 85 for six.

Sadly, there was another fastest hundred when Durham's new Australian paceman Shaun Tait conceded 113 runs in 12 overs, which included 21 no-balls.

He had bowled 14 of those in four overs on Sunday, and with his confidence shattered he could barely bowl at all yesterday.

The dilemma for Jon Lewis was that he needed to give Tait the opportunity to sort it out as Durham will spend today travelling to Colchester, where they start another four-day game against Essex tomorrow.

Tait, the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year, is having his first taste of playing in England and is expected to be part of the Australian squad to tour here next summer.

He does not have an especially long run-up - just over 20 yards - but he has a big delivery stride and, like England's Simon Jones, seems to generate most of his pace from the shoulder in a slingy action.

Once that long delivery stride had seen him over-step three more times early on yesterday everything seemed to go haywire. He propelled one ball down the leg side for four wides and the total was only 184 when extras reached 50.

In that same over Rob Turner edged a four over the slips then straight drove a boundary and hooked another one just out of Kyle Coetzer's reach at square leg. Another no-ball followed and the over cost 20.

Somerset had added 85 in ten overs when Neil Killeen replaced Tait, who returned later only to over-step with his second ball.

After that all he could do was concentrate on getting it to the other end, and that was the point when Johnson began to cut loose with a couple of rustic swipes wide of long-on.

With Durham's over-rate reading minus six, Lewis finally turned to the spinners and Johnson smashed Graeme Bridge high over long-on into the top tier of seating by the scoreboard.

On 47 he survived a fierce drive to Gordon Muchall at mid-on off Gareth Breese and in the next over swept Bridge over square leg for six to reach 50 off 38 balls.

Aaron Laraman, his partner in an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 157 in 20 overs - a record against Durham - had taken 112 balls to reach the same mark. He was dropped by Coetzer at square leg on 12 off Gavin Hamilton and remained unbeaten for an unimpressive 66.

Laraman, Turner (46) and Johnson all made their best scores of the season. In fact, Johnson's 101 not out was only his second century, his first having come off 75 balls against Gloucestershire at Bristol last season.

After passing 50 he drove Breese for a six then hit a four through his favoured mid-wicket area, and when Killeen replaced Bridge 11 came off his first over.

A straight six off Killeen four overs later just cleared Bridge on the rope to take Johnson to 99 and he drove the next ball, a full toss, for a single to long-off to complete his hundred.

Somerset declared on reaching 400 in the next over and Lewis showed he still cares by gathering the players together just inside the boundary. It could have been a ticking-off or a pep talk, saying: "We are not going to lose this match."

Plunkett also showed he cares by heading off to bowl in the nets after taking two for 100 in 16 overs.

He at least had the satisfaction of removing Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who hit him for two fours in the day's second over to reach 50 then drove at the next ball and edged to Breese at second slip.

Resuming on 127 for four in the morning, 104 behind, Somerset's intention was to go hard at it for an hour and see where they stood in a game in which the first two days were lost.

But a heavy shower arrived with the score on 157 for six in the day's third over, costing them a crucial 12 overs in their bid for a third successive win since Ponting arrived.

When Durham batted, Lewis stood firm while his team slipped to 33 for three with 23 overs still to survive, then received staunch support from Coetzer.

Johnson nipped one back in the fifth over to have Breese lbw, then Muchall tried to pull Simon Francis and lobbed a catch to short leg.

Despite their successes away from home, neither Breese nor North have scored many runs at Riverside and when Laraman replaced Johnson for the 15th over he immediately had North lbw for seven.

Laraman also gave Lewis a fright on 17 as he found alarming lift for a man of his gentle pace and the ball flew off the shoulder of the bat over the slips for three.

Lewis was finally out for 25, lbw in Gareth Andrew's first over and when the youngster then had Coetzer caught at second slip Durham were 47 for five with 13.2 overs left.

But left-handers Gavin Hamilton and Andrew Pratt stayed together for 11 overs before Hamilton was caught off bat and off John Francis's left-arm spin.

Pratt was the saviour as he remained unbeaten on 24.

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