DURHAM skipper Paul Collingwood took only his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket at Taunton yesterday then said: “I am as surprised as anyone to get five wickets in the first match of the season, but I'm absolutely delighted.

“I'm coming up to 39 and I have to be careful with my lower back, which is why I bowled only in one-day cricket for most of last season.

“I was going to come off if I hadn't got my second wicket with the last ball of an over. That was James Hildreth, who cuts from not very wide of off stump and had already got me away twice in the over. I was looking to nip it back into him and fortunately it came off.”

Collingwood sparked a Somerset collapse from 224 for two to 299 all out and said: “It's been a funny day's cricket. We bowled exceptionally well in the morning but only got one wicket when he could have had two or three.

“We were looking down the barrel in mid-afternoon, but the ball began to swing more when it got a bit warmer and the wind died down.”

Collingwood lost the toss but said he was planning to put Somerset in. “You know it's going to be a good pitch here so you want to utilise any early movement.

“It's a fast-scoring pitch with good pace and after losing two early wickets in our innings we stayed positive and motored along. Scott Borthwick is in good nick and feeling confident.”