WHOEVER Graham Thorpe had come to watch at the Emirates Durham ground yesterday it certainly wasn't Marcus Trescothick.

Nor is it likely to have been Nick Compton, who will be 28 next month and is never going to aspire to his grandfather Denis' heights.

Both made returning skipper Phil Mustard pay for putting Somerset in to bat by making centuries as the visitors amassed 383 for four.

Thorpe, 41, was handed the title of the ECB's lead batting coach last winter, which means he is generally based at the National Performance Centre at Loughborough and is in charge of developing the best batting talent.

He would have been more interested in James Hildreth, whose prolific form for England Lions during the winter has lifted him high among the candidates to replace Paul Collingwood in the Test team.

In moderate form so far this summer, Hildreth was dropped on 18 and promptly cut loose, reaching 50 four overs later.

It was a great relief for Durham when he was snared by the first taste of the Onions-Mustard combination in championship action since the 2009 season.

Wicketless in his first two spells, Graham Onions had Hildreth caught behind in the first over with the new ball, then had 19-year-old Alex Barrow taken at first slip.

Ben Stokes will be on Thorpe's radar and possibly Craig Kieswetter, although after scoring three centuries already this season the Somerset wicketkeeper pulled out of this match with a thigh injury. Barrow, from Bath, took his place, although Jos Buttler will keep wicket.

Trescothick played in 76 Tests and would have passed Thorpe's 100 caps by now had ill health not obliged him to retire from England duty in 2006.

County attacks have suffered since, with Durham high on the list, and after he scored 227 at the Rose Bowl last week Mustard's men might consider they got off lightly.

Trescothick looked as good as ever before surrendering for 144, going down the pitch in Scott Borthwick's second over and skying a catch to point.

It was a straightforward catch, to which Ruel Brathwaite clung on with clear relief after a chastening day in which he initially looked worthy of inclusion ahead of Steve Harmison.

Coming on first change, Brathwaite opened up with an excellent maiden then conceded only two in his second over before losing his accuracy as Trescothick set about him.

His next two overs cost 26 and he was later pulled for four and six in one over to take the visiting captain to his century off only 128 balls.

There was a little early life in the easy-paced pitch, but only Callum Thorp threatened to exploit it, especially in his second spell after switching to bowl from the Finchale End.

He beat both batsmen and had a good lbw shout against Compton turned down. But the only semblance of a chance given by the ex-Durham University man was when Brathwaite struck his gloves and the ball fell just short of second slip.

Compton made 190 for Middlesex against Durham at Lord's five years ago and was in similarly obdurate mode yesterday evening as he tried to make sure Somerset got through the new ball without further mishap.

He was at the crease to face the eighth ball of the day after Thorp had Arul Suppiah well caught by Borthwick at third slip.

But Durham had to wait 60 overs for the second wicket. Once Trescothick began to drive Thorp effortlessly through extra cover, while never missing a chance to cut and pull, a big score looked inevitable.

The fact that he fell in Borthwick's second over reflected Mustard's reluctance to turn to his younger bowlers as Ben Stokes had not come on until the 51st over, twice beating Trescothick from round the wicket.

The powerful left-hander hit 11 fours in his 47-ball half-century and Mustard had called on Dale Benkenstein to stem the flow before lunch, when he bowled five overs for two runs. But Trescothick took ten runs off his first four balls after the break, twice driving wide of mid-off for four.

After completing his hundred he casually advanced to lift former team-mate Ian Blackwell over mid-wicket for his third six and was looking for a fourth when he was out.

There were no such extravagances from Compton. But if he lacks his grandfather's flair there are still touches of class to go with the durability.

SCORECARD

Durham v Somerset
At Emirates Durham ICG. Durham Won Toss
Somerset First Innings Close
M E Trescothick c Brathwaite b Borthwick 144
A V Suppiah c Borthwick b Thorp 0
N R Compton not out 149
J C Hildreth c Mustard b Onions 54
A W Barrow c Muchall b Onions 4
J C Buttler not out 9
Extras (b4 lb10 w4 nb5 pens 0) 23
Total 4 wkts (96 overs) 383
Fall: 1-4 2-253 3-340 4-354
To Bat: P D Trego, G Hussain, S P Kirby, L
Gregory, C M Willoughby.
Bowling: Onions 18-2-71-2. Thorp 21-6-63-
1. Brathwaite 16-1-77-0. Benkenstein 13-
4-31-0. Blackwell 9-1-39-0. Stokes 12-3-43-
0. Borthwick 7-0-45-1.