Kent hit again by injury to veteran bowler Michael Hogan as Somerset (214-2) start well in County Championship Division 1 match in rain-shortened first day at Taunton

Injury-hit Kent’s bowling attack was depleted even further on a tough first day of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division 1 match against Somerset at Taunton on Tuesday.

Their woes were compounded by an injury to Michael Hogan, the 42-year-old seamer limping off with what looked like a hamstring or thigh problem having bowled 11.2 overs for 30 runs, as opener Tom Lammonby (109) and Lewis Goldsworthy (70 not out) left the hosts 214-2.

Morning rain led to a 1.45pm start and Kent's bowlers looked to have ideal conditions when they took to the field. The pitch was green and the floodlights were already on beneath overcast skies.

But, having left out their specialist spinners, the visitors' seam attack failed to get enough balls in the right areas to capitalise on any movement, allowing Lammonby and Tom Abell to make a positive start to the Somerset innings.

Skipper Abell, promoted to opener in the absence of former Kent player Sean Dickson, whose partner has just given birth, gave a more solid look to the top order, while Lammonby went for his shots from the outset.

The left-hander hit three fours in an over from Arafat Bhuiyan (1-57), who struggled for line and length in his opening spell. Hogan switched ends after bowling three overs but was unable to make a mark while being typically economical.

Lammonby and Abell comfortably brought up a half-century stand in the 14th over, the former moving to a fluent fifty off 52 balls with 10 fours.

Their partnership had reached 73 when Abell, on 20, played a loose shot to a Bhuiyan delivery wide of off stump and edged to Tawanda Muyeye at first slip.

By then, Somerset were well placed and Goldsworthy, also batting higher in the order than usual having spent much of the