ANDREW Gale has called on his players to show true Yorkshire grit as they fight to keep their Championship title hopes alive after a nightmare first day against Somerset yesterday.

The champions were bowled out for just 145 inside two sessions by the third placed Cidermen, who then advanced to 107-1 at close.

Somerset came into the penultimate round of the Specsavers County Championship very much the outsiders in the title race.

They trailed leaders Middlesex by 22 points and second-placed Yorkshire by 21.

But they played like a team who believe they can spring a surprise and took advantage of bowler-friendly conditions, with new ball seamer Craig Overton and medium pacer Jim Allenby taking three wickets apiece.

Only Tim Bresnan and Jake Lehmann made it into the thirties as too many home batsmen threw their wickets away in an uncharacteristic display.

The likes of Gale, Gary Ballance, Lehmann and Liam Plunkett were all culpable before veterans Chris Rogers and Marcus Trescothick showed them the way after tea during an unbroken century stand.

"It wasn't a great day. From start to finish, we were poor with the bat,” said captain Gale.

“It wasn't a 145 all out pitch. Then, with the ball, we didn't back it up.

“Poor day, but we've got to show our class over the next few days to fight our way back.

“We've had some true Yorkshire grit over the years, and we're going to have to dig deep and bring some of that out.

"Somerset bowled well, you've got to give them some credit. But, as I said, there were some poor shots, poor shot selection, and we didn't put a price on our wickets.

“We would have fancied ourselves to get over 250, and that would have been us in the game.

"If we get Trescothick and Rogers out early doors in the morning, you never know. We've been in this position before, and there's no reason why we can't fight our way back.

"I'd back us to not bat that badly twice. We've got to keep our chins up.”

Gale elected to bat first on a pitch which nibbled all day, whilst swing was also prominent.

He went into the match without seamer Steve Patterson, who will miss the rest of the season due to his father’s ill health. Plunkett replaced him.

Alex Lees fell as he edged Overton to first slip at the end of the day’s first over before the same bowler had Gary Ballance caught at third slip shortly afterwards as Lewis Gregory held a catch which ricocheted off his chest and knee before he held on low down.

After Allenby had Adam Lyth caught behind, Gale and Lehmann shared 47 before the latter top-edged a pull at Peter Trego to square-leg in the final over of the morning as the score fell to 86-4.

Gale, Adil Rashid, Plunkett and Ryan Sidebottom then all edged behind or into the slips during a particularly testing afternoon as the champions missed out on a batting point.

Jack Brooks trapped Tom Abell lbw eight balls into the reply, but Trescothick and Rogers prospered as Yorkshire erred in line before bad light prevented the last seven overs being bowled.

Middlesex closed day one against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford on 258-3.