Yorkshire became sick and tired of the sight of Matt Wood at Taunton yesterday - but to a man they applauded the Somerset opening bat when his epic innings of 297 was ended.

Director of cricket David Byas even gave him a standing ovation from the dressing room balcony.

The 24-year-old Exeter-born right-hander offered only one late chance during a nine-hour occupation of the crease which brought him the second highest individual score ever made against Yorkshire.

The only one above it is the unbeaten 318 by the legendary WG Grace for Gloucestershire at Cheltenham in 1876.

Wood nudged into second place when he moved above the 273 scored by Tom Hayward for Surrey at The Oval in 1899.

His innings contained 35 fours and a six and he received 402 balls in compiling the fifth highest score ever made for Somerset.

Wood left behind Michael Burns' previous best knock for Somerset against Yorkshire of 221 at Bath in 2001 and he and Keith Parsons (94) also posted Somerset's highest sixth wicket partnership off Yorkshire's attack of 201.

Wood said: "When I got to 100 we only had 165 on the board and I knew I needed to make a lot more for my team. My previous best score was 196 and I gave it away on that occasion but I knew I had a double century in me and was a bit disappointed just to miss out on a triple century."

Wood did not make a mistake until he was on 278 when Chris Silverwood found the edge but wicketkeeper Ismail Dawood could not make a right-handed catch stick.

The end for Wood came when he attempted to on-drive Richard Dawson for six but was caught on the boundary edge by Tim Bresnan to make Somerset 576 for nine. When they were all out for 581 they enjoyed a first innings lead of 175.

Dawson emerged from the carnage with the best figures of four for 132 but pacemen Deon Kruis and Bresnan also conceded over 100 runs apiece without a wicket.

Yorkshire's Matthew Wood had a less distinguished day, departing for a duck off his seventh ball when he edged Andy Caddick to Parsons at first slip.

Joe Sayers and Anthony McGrath made big inroads into the arrears with a positive stand of 119 during which both batsmen completed their half-centuries but the loss of three wickets for 21 runs in five overs left Yorkshire contemplating their first Championship defeat of the season.

Sayers went back to South African Charl Langeveldt and lost his off-stump for 51 and McGrath propped forward to the same bowler and was lbw for 68 while Phil Jaques was bowled round his legs by Caddick.

Michael Lumb and Craig White held out and took Yorkshire to 173 for four at the close.