LONDON, April 19: Craig Spearman scored the first century of the new English County Championship season to help Gloucestershire to 262 for four on the opening day of their second division clash with west-country neighbours Somerset at Bristol on Tuesday.

Former New Zealand batsman Spearman made 109 on a rain-affected day and was twice reprieved on his way to three figures by England's Marcus Trescothick.

In the day's other Championship match, last season's first division runners-up Hampshire collapsed to 139 for seven on a rain-marred day against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

The home side's 20-year-old seamer Tom Smith led the Lancashire attack with three for 29.

But Trescothick had a fraught comeback after returning home early from the tour of India, the Somerset opening batsman twice dropping Spearman at slip when the batsman had made 36 and then 92.

But even before Spearman opened the innings any hopes he or anyone else might have had of winning the Walter Lawrence Trophy for the fastest first-class hundred in an English season had been all but ended by Nottinghamshire's Mark Ealham.

The former England all-rounder smashed a 45-ball hundred for the county champions in the traditional curtain-raiser against MCC at Lord's last weekend.—AFP