MICHAEL Richardson’s fourth century in his last ten championship matches couldn’t prevent Durham from subsiding meekly this afternoon.

They are 298 for eight at tea, leading by 219, and it is unclear whether or not the injured Scott Borthwick intends to bat.

There were three more wickets for Craig Overton, who is not as quick as his twin, Jamie, but bowls with more control.

He almost earned a return catch off a leading edge from Richardson on 116, but the next ball claimed the scalp when it cut back and the batsman got an inside edge into his stumps.

Richardson went to his hundred off 202 balls with his tenth four, a thick edge wide of the slips off Alfonso Thomas.

It was a slightly streaky shot, but generally he was very solid and he deserved better support than he received from all except Mark Stoneman.

Debut boy Ryan Pringle has stood firm for 18 overs to reach 17 and Chris Rushworth put bat to ball in his unbeaten 18. But that merely confirms that it’s a good day for batting and Somerset will expect to go a long way towards their victory target this evening.

Phil Mustard continued his disappointing run by falling to a bat-pad catch at short leg off George Dockrell after scoring ten. Then when the new ball was taken Paul Collingwood sliced a drive to backward point off Peter Trego to depart for three.

Mark Wood and Jamie Harrison fell to edged catches off successive balls from Overton.