Somerset's Championship hopes are beginning to dwindle as rain chopped 42 overs off the second day of the Division One game against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

The visitors, who were put in to bat, had reached 226-2 by the time the umpires took them off for bad light, forcing an early close.

Marcus Trescothick had extended his lead at the top of the 2009 run charts with his 104 not out – his fifth hundred of the season – from 178 balls with 16 fours and a six.

With the first day washed out, significant rain was expected in Birmingham last night, meaning play on day three is in doubt given the high level of the water table at the Midlands venue.

Another draw seems inevitable, meaning second- placed Somerset will miss another chance to narrow the gap on leaders Durham.

This match is already proving a case of deja vu for the visitors. They totally dominated proceedings a short way down the M5 a fortnight ago.

Langer, who made 69 yesterday, and Trescothick both made centuries at New Road but had to settle for a share of the spoils against Worcestershire after day one was rained off.

Given the green nature of the Edgbaston pitch, this should have been a close contest between bat and ball. Instead the main competition was between the two batsmen.

Only England Lions seamer Chris Woakes really troubled the pair, although Ireland paceman Boyd Rankin made the breakthrough in the fourth over as Arul Suppiah failed to follow up his 151 against Nottinghamshire.

The Malaysian drove at a wide ball that bounced a bit from Rankin and was ajudged to have got the faintest of edges through to the wicketkeeper.

Langer fell when he edged Woakes behind for 69 to end a stand of 175 with Trescothick.

More rain interrupted play in mid-afternoon but play resumed for four overs at 6pm – just time for Trescothick to pull Carter for six to bring up his 36th career century. He has now passed fifty in 11 of his 17 innings this season.

Meanwhile, Suppiah looks sure to play on for the county in 2010 as the ECB is recommending the amendment of the qualification criteria for Kolpak and overseas players.