Yorkshire's bowlers ran out of steam at Taunton yesterday after a dynamic four wicket burst by Steve Kirby left Somerset staggering on 40 for five.

But the West Country side went on to recover from 144 for eight to 275 all out.

Kirby, whose first three wickets came in the space of five balls, finished with five for 74 - his best figures for two years - but his efforts were undermined by Yorkshire's inability to get rid of their opponents cheaply.

Rob Turner was the main thorn in their flesh with a solid unbeaten 81 and he received strong support from the tail enders.

After a break in their Championship programme of over three weeks, Yorkshire suffered a further delay as rain wiped out the morning session but the action was instant and dramatic when Matthew Wood won the toss and put Somerset in to bat.

In the first over, Chris Silverwood had Peter Bowler caught at first slip by New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming on his Championship debut for his new county, and it was in the sixth over of the innings that Kirby sent Somerset plummeting to 19 for four.

He began by knocking back James Bryant's off-stump before getting Jamie Cox lbw on the front foot next ball and although Michael Burns denied Kirby the hat-trick he too fell lbw pushing forward.

Kirby made it four wickets in his opening spell by having Matthew Wood caught at second slip by Yuvraj Singh and when Silverwood found the edge of Ian Blackwell's bat to give wicketkeeper Simon Guy a catch in his first Championship appearance for two years, Somerset were 64 for six.

But their recovery was initiated by a fine stand of 73 in 19 overs between Turner and Aaron Laraman, both batsmen driving fluently, and with Yorkshire searching for the breakthrough Craig White was given his first bowl of the season but he could not part the pair.

It was left to Ryan Sidebottom to do that by bowling Laraman for 36 as he aimed across the line and in Silverwood's next over Nixon McLean was well caught low to his left at second slip by Yuvraj.