ALVIRO Petersen marked his return to Taunton with top score of 83 as Lancashire ran up 295 for four on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship with Somerset.

The former Somerset batsman faced 140 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes, after his side had won the toss and elected to take first use of a dry, light-coloured pitch.

Steven Croft contributed 71 not out, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 125 with Petersen, after left-arm spinner Jack Leach claimed two early wickets.

A short boundary on the town side of the Cooper Associates County Ground made life more difficult for the Somerset bowlers, who maintained a tight line and length for most of a tough day.

Opener Karl Brown batted through the morning session, surviving a confident appeal for a catch behind off Craig Overton early on, but otherwise untroubled.

There was little movement for the Somerset seamers and it was Leach, introduced from the River End as early as the 17th over, who broke Lancashire's first-wicket stand with the total on 56.

Having progressed impressively to 29, Haseeb Hameed drove at a full ball and was well caught at extra cover by Tom Abell diving to his left.

At lunch, Lancashire were 77 for one. Leach had figures of one for six from eight accurate overs, while Brown was unbeaten on 43.

With 10 runs added in the afternoon session, Leach claimed his second victim when beating Brown's forward defensive push and winning an lbw verdict.

Luke Procter was dropped on 16 by Marcus Trescothick at second slip off Jamie Overton, but he was unable to profit and fell for 26, leg-before playing across a good-length ball from Tim Groenewald.

From 125 for three, Petersen and Croft prospered, the former reaching his half-century off 95 balls, with five fours and a six.

Croft's first two scoring shots were sweetly-struck boundaries and by tea the pair had taken the score to 177 for three.

In the final session, Croft went on the attack, lifting two big sixes off Leach, the first bringing up the 200. Petersen joined in by uppercutting Jamie Overton through backward point and clearing the ropes.

It was Craig Overton who ended Petersen's innings with the second new ball, the batsman aiming an aggressive shot across the line and falling lbw.

But Alex Davies (32 not out) then helped Croft see off the second new ball and, after a short break for bad light, a full day's play was completed with their partnership worth 45.

Croft had faced 133 balls and hit six fours and two sixes.