Champions Somerset fought back to hold the advantage after the first day of Cup Match, with Janeiro Tucker closing in on a first Cup Match century in Somerset.

The experienced batsman, who is competing in his final Cup Match, batted patiently for 76 not out as he moved towards his fifth century in the Classic.

The holders will look to press home their advantage in the morning session tomorrow, as they trail St George’s by 45 runs with six wickets in hand.

Getting a comfortable lead and having Tucker complete another century will be Somerset’s priority when play resumes on the second day on a wicket that favours disciplined batting.

St George’s failed to show that after being put in by Somerset as they slumped to 15 for four after just 27 minutes.

Treadwell Gibbons was caught at third slip on the fourth ball of the second over of the match when Greg Maybury got the breakthrough with only three runs on the board.

In the next over captain OJ Pitcher was also caught at slip, playing at a wide delivery and edging to the opposing captain Jordan DeSilva to make it five for two.

The crowd was beginning to wonder if the match would last two days when Somerset struck again in the fourth and fifth overs to remove Rodney Trott for one and opener Oronde Bascome for ten to leave the challengers in deep trouble at 15 for four.

Slowly things turned around, though, with Lionel Cann and Allan Douglas Jr pulling St George’s back into the game with a century partnership (119) for the fifth wicket.

That laid the foundation for a total of 230 when St George’s declared at 2.45pm at the fall of the ninth wicket, that of colt Sinclair Smith after he kept the runs coming with a useful knock of 31 before he was given out lbw by umpire Emmerson Carrington. Smith protested that he hit the ball as he walked off.

Douglas lit up the St George’s innings earlier, blasting 77 off 47 balls, bring the St George’s fan to life with an innings that contained four fours and seven sixes.

He and Cann, with 45 off 40 balls with six fours and two sixes, took the attack to the Somerset bowlers who failed to follow up the example set by opening pair Malachi Jones and Maybury.

However, all of the pair’s hard work was undone in the final 30 minutes before lunch as Somerset struck twice to get back on top and leave the visiting side reeling again at 173 for six.

Cann was the first to go, spooning a soft catch to mid off to Jordan DeSilva before Douglas failed to pick a slow delivery and was bowled by Maybury, back for a second spell at the northern end to leave St George’s at 154 for six.

Jones claimed five for 53 from 15.3 overs while Maybury had three for 57 off 12 overs. Somerset gambled with only five overs of spin, Derrick Brangman going for 26 in his two overs and Jacobi Robinson 39 in three, although he did get the wicket of Justin Pitcher after he skied a return catch.

Macai Simmons scored 29 while George O’Brien had a brisk 21 not out at No 10 after hitting Robinson for sixes on the first two balls he faced. He had three sixes in his knock before St George’s declared.

Somerset replied with 185 for four in 54 overs, as even four overs with the new balls failed to dislodge Tucker and former captain Jekon Edness. Tucker and Stephen Outerbridge came together in the twelfth over at 36 for three and managed to put Somerset in a more comfortable position by the 41st over when Outerbridge was caught behind for 49 to make it 148 for four.

George O’Brien took all four Somerset wickets, conceding 46 from 14 overs.