Marcus Trescothick experienced a taste of what he has to come on day one of Somerset's County Championship match with Lancashire at Taunton.

The former England man took charge of the county in first-class cricket for the first time this season after Justin Langer was ruled out with a badly bruised upper arm suffered in Tuesday night's Pro40 defeat to Essex.

Trescothick is widely expected to replace Langer as captain for the 2010 campaign, and he saw Lancashire rack up 297-5 after he had won the toss.

Inserting the opposition at Taunton is not a regular tactic, but there is a school of thought that says day one is the best time to bowl here, and Somerset won their only home game this year by chasing in the fourth innings.

And at 153-5 in mid-afternoon Trescothick's move looked like a master-stroke. There was little in the pitch but Ben Phillips (3-43) and Charl Willoughby (2-88) had winkled out half the batting.

Indeed, had Craig Kieswetter held a diving chance offered by Paul Horton off Zander de Bruyn it would have been 218-6 – a very acceptable position.

But Horton, who was on 121, was reprieved and he and Kyle Hogg added 144 in 35 overs for the sixth wicket before the low September sun cut the final three overs off the day's play.

Horton, like so many players, was having a quiet season, but his visit to the run-drenched pitches of Taunton has brought him 155 not out - a first century since 2008.

The same cannot be said for his opening partner, former Somerset wicketkeeper Luke Sutton. He had progressed to 26 before he was struck by a bouncer from Phillips that drew blood.

After lengthy treatment, Sutton edged the next ball down the leg-side to give Kieswetter the first of four catches.

After lunch, Mal Loye was pinned by a Willoughby inswinger for 14 and Somerset were delighted to see India Test star VVS Laxman flail at a wide one from the same bowler and nick behind for just 12.

Phillips then removed former captain Mark Chilton and Francois Du Plessis in quick time to push Somerset well ahead at that stage. First Chilton drove statically and was caught behind for a duck before his South African colleague flashed at a wide one and also found the gloves of Kieswetter, this time for one.

But if Somerset thought they were through the Lancashire batting they were wrong. Horton passed his previous career best – 152 – with his 26th boundary and Hogg was on 69 and on course to exceed his own highest score of 71.

In all Somerset conceded 83 runs in 21 overs after tea. There was no sign of a wicket after Kieswetter's drop, although it was a surprise that Trescothick declined to take the new ball when it became available after 80 overs.

Fast bowler David Stiff was recalled to the Somerset CCC team for the first time in a month as no specialist spinner was selected. Meanwhile, Langer is confident of being fit for Sunday's Pro40 game away to Hampshire. In his place is Taunton teenager Jos Buttler, who is making his first-class debut and will bat at five or six in the order.