Daniel Marsh hit a century and Trevor Ward 93 as Leicestershire piled up their biggest total of the season on the first day of the CricInfo Championship clash with Somerset at Grace Road.

They were dismissed for 387 right on the close, and there was nobody happier than Ward. The 33-year-old former Kent opener turned back the clock with a gem of an innings – his best score in the Championship for three years.

He was the first to admit: "It's been long overdue," after his first season at Leicestershire brought him only 110 runs in seven matches.

But given his chance for the first time this summer he grabbed it with both hands to set the tone and tempo for the day.

And Australian Marsh is already looking an inspired signing as the overseas player. This was the fourth time in seven innings that he has gone past 50 and he is the first Leicestershire player to make a Championship century this season.

It all added up to a tough day in the field for understrength Somerset who were minus Test men Andy Caddick and Marcus Trescothick. The one consolation for them was the return to action of young left-arm seamer Matthew Bulbeck after a year's absence with a stress fracture of the back.

He bowled tidily to claim the wickets of Iain Sutcliffe and Vince Wells. There was little else to cheer up the visitors however, on a day dominated by the batsmen after Leicestershire had won the toss.

Ward and Sutcliffe shared an opening stand of 79 – Leicestershire's best for a year – and then Marsh and Darren Stevens put on 147 for the sixth wicket.

Ward, who raced to his 50 off 56 balls with nine fours and a six, was out seven runs short of what would have been his first Championship century for four years. He chipped a catch to mid-on having hit another six fours in his 137–ball innings.

Marsh then took over, reaching his century off 165 balls with 19 fours. But once Stevens had gone for 63 Marsh had little support from the tail and Michael Burns nipped in to take three for 26 in nine overs. The Australian was undefeated though on 138, boosting his average to 87.

© CricInfo Ltd.