West Indies' Runako Morton hits out as Somerset wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter looks on during the tour match at Taunton yesterday. - AP

TAUNTON, England (CMC):

RUNAKO MORTON and Shivnarine Chanderpaul rescued West Indies with an unbroken, fifth-wicket century stand as the tourists struggled in bleak conditions on the opening day of their three-day tour match against Somerset yesterday.

Morton hammered an attractive 91 and Chanderpaul a patient 59 as West Indies, winning the toss and choosing to bat, reached 195 for four before rain brought a halt to the match in the post-lunch session.The duo had shared a stand of 151 which hauled the West Indies out of trouble at 44 for four after seamer Steffan Jones (3-58) had grabbed three quick wickets to leave Somerset in control.

The right-handed Morton has so far struck 13 fours and one six off 99 balls in just over two hours, while the left-handed Chanderpaul has batted for 133 minutes, faced 85 balls and stroked five fours.

Heavy overnight rain here threatened the match, but when it finally got under way at 11:15 a.m., opener Chris Gayle (24) got the innings off to a flyer with a flurry of boundaries.

He lost partner Daren Ganga in the day's fifth over for two, lbw to Jones playing across the line, with the score on 26.

A rain break kept the players off the field for 10 minutes and on return Gayle was bowled by pacer Mark Turner, dragging a delivery on to his stumps attempting his fifth four.

The left-handed Gayle faced 19 balls and batted just under an hour and departed with the score on 32.

Caught at cover

With no run added, left-hander Devon Smith was caught at cover by James Hildreth off Jones for five, and when captain Ramnaresh Sarwan was trapped lbw on the back foot by Jones for 10 moments later, Windies were in a tangle at 44 for four.

However, Morton and Chander-paul combined to steady the innings and had steered the visitors to 75 for four from 17 overs at the lunch interval with Morton on 23 and Chanderpaul, seven.

West Indies were fighting their way back into the match in the post-lunch session with Morton strikingthe ball nicely and Chanderpaul offering solid support, when the rains came.

The match is being played as a 13-a-side match with West Indies fast bowlers Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore and Somerset's Michael Munday playing as bowlers only.

This comes after rain hampered all of West Indies training sessions since arriving in England on Wednesday and the England Cricket Board agreed to change the playing conditions.