SOMERSET endured a frustrating day in the field at Headingley, as Yorkshire's batsmen ended the day on 282 runs, for the loss of only three wickets.

Gary Ballance (111) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (77no) batted from late morning until late evening as they shared 199 runs for the third wicket.

A day played out on a good pitch started with Somerset captain Tom Abell opting for an uncontested toss and to bowl first, a decision which looked a questionable one at close.

In his defence, Somerset - seeking an eighth win from 10 County Championship games this season - did not bowl badly, and were without luck against their third-placed hosts, who batted wih caution for much of the day.

Yorkshire openers Adam Lyth (35) and Will Fraine (45) laid the platform with a first-wicket partnership of 80, but both fell in the final 15 minutes before lunch.

Both were seen off by bowlers with Yorkshire connections - Fraine flicking Jack Brooks (who spent six seasons playing for the county) to Dom Bess at square leg, and Lyth miscuing a cut at Bess (who played on loan for Yorkshire this campaign, and will return to play for them in the T20 competition) to Abell at cover.

Ballance and Kohler-Cadmore, however, took the sting out of the situation after lunch following those quick wickets.

The pair rebuilt with great patience, Ballance's score of 111 coming from 212 balls, and his stay was only ended when he was caught at second slip by Jamie Overton, to give Tim Groenewald his 400th First Class wicket.

Somerset's main title rivals Essex, meanwhile, were bowled out for 245 on the opening day of their match with Warwickshire at Chelmsford.

Somerset head coach Jason Kerr said afterwards: "It was a tough day for us.

"Inserting Yorkshire, we were hoping for better rewards.

"I thought they played outstandingly well, and we weren’t quite at the races today.

"[On the decision to bowl] It was a fresh wicket, and we had a bit of local knowledge in Brooksy [Jack Brooks].

"We felt there was something in the surface, and there was.

"But we just didn’t get enough balls in the right areas and ask enough questions.

"We've got real depth in the squad, and we've seen that through the year.

"Lewis Gregory has missed games already. We've got Craig Overton back in this game.

"So it wasn't a case of us missing Lewis [due to England Lions duty].

"That wasn’t the reason why. It was just that the guys as a unit weren't quite as clinical as they have been this season."