SOMERSET CRICKET: SOMERSET'S bowlers were put to the sword as the annual Bath cricket festival got underway on Wednesday.

Worcestershire made full use of a flat pitch after they won the toss and decided to bat first.

Openers Stephen Peters and Anurag Singh survived a testing initial spell from Simon Francis to share a partnership of 201, a new Worcestershire record for the first wicket against Somerset.

Peters went on to record a career best 165 and Singh made 105 before falling to Keith Dutch.

Somerset, who went into the festival as Division Two leaders in the Frizzell county championship did not help their cause by spilling three catches Piran Holloway, Jamie Cox and Matt Wood the guilty parties. Worcester closed the first day on 422-5.

As ever when Somerset make their annual visit to Bath, talk among supporters is how much longer cricket in the city can last.

The Bath Festival is now Somerset's only venture away from headquarters at Taunton and it costs around £10,000 a day to bring first class cricket to the north of the county.

Sponsorship, corporate hospitality and financial support from the local council helps to pay for the huge costs of turning The Rec into a suitable venue for first class cricket.

Bob Appleyard has been involved in organising the festival for 20 years and is now chairman of the club's Bath and Wiltshire area committee. He believes that the festival will survive. "The crux of it, as it is in most sports, is money,' he said.

"If we get good weather we should make a profit of around £20,000 on the festival. If we have a bad year with weather, and you are bound to get that now and again, then we will make a loss.

"Everything has to be brought in to put the festival on and the facilities are not as good as they are at Taunton.

"The future of the festival is looked at year by year, but at the moment I cannot see any reason why it should not continue."

The game with Worcestershire is due to end tomorrow and on Sunday Northamptonshire are the visitors for a National Cricket League one-day game.