Tom Abell continued his sensational run of form as Somerset powered to 335-5 on the opening day of their County Championship Division One clash with Sussex at Taunton's Cooper Associates Ground.
The Somerset captain, who entered the match with a staggering average of over 70 from nine innings this season, remained unbeaten on 74 off 136 balls at stumps. His knock included eight boundaries and a six, extending his remarkable streak of scoring more than 25 in each of his last 14 Championship innings dating back to last summer.
James Rew celebrated his England Test squad call-up in style with a fluent 86, while Tom Lammonby chipped in with a valuable 73. The pair's efforts helped Somerset recover from early setbacks and build a commanding total on a sunny day at the county ground.
Sussex's Tom Haines was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while captain Ollie Robinson bowled economically in short spells, finishing with 1-28 from 13 overs.
Somerset had introduced new overseas signing Jordan Hermann for a three-game stint, and the South African left-hander opened the batting alongside Josh Thomas. The 25-year-old looked comfortable against the new ball, scoring his first runs for the county with a crisp two to fine leg off Robinson's opening over.
However, Somerset's ongoing top-order concerns resurfaced when Thomas fell leg before to a Robinson delivery that angled in from around the wicket. Hermann followed soon after with the score on 46, trapped lbw by Haines while attempting to pull a short delivery.
That proved to be Sussex's best period of the day. The morning session unfolded under blue skies on a docile pitch, with several edges falling tantalisingly short of the slip cordon. Rew, who had struggled in two previous games as an opener, started cautiously before finding his rhythm alongside Lammonby as the pair guided Somerset to 107-2 at lunch.
The highlight of the morning session came in the final over before lunch when Rew swept Jack Carson for six to bring up the hundred. Though he fell two balls later, the platform had been set for a dominant day's work from the home side.