SOMERSET were knocked off top spot in Division One of the County Championship after going down by 40 runs against Yorkshire at the County Ground on Monday.

Needing 323 to win, Somerset lost crucial early wickets on the final day and were bowled out late on to suffer their first defeat of the season and allow Yorkshire to take over at the top.

It meant Zander de Bruyn's first Somerset century was in vain, but skipper Justin Langer highlighted it as one of the positive points from the game.

He said: "Of course we are disappointed to lose. I thought Zander de Bruyn and Ian Blackwell both played well for us but we lost it really by losing four early wickets in our second innings.

"Regarding the bigger picture of view we have only lost two games out of the last 22 championship matches.

"We fought hard in this game but there are obviously areas that we need to look at.

"I thought that on a normal Taunton wicket we would back ourselves to have got 311 but it was a lot slower than normal.

"I thought we would have to bat really well to score it and we got close but not close enough.

"I thought that Zander played to the game plan which was for him to be there right until the end but probably losing Craig Kieswetter and Ben Phillips after tea in quick succession didn't help.

"Our plan was to be on the top of the table before the Twenty20 starts and we are second so it is it is not the end of the world. We just have to make sure that we are ready for our next game against Durham in a few weeks time."

Starting the final day 12-0, Somerset quickly lost Marcus Trescothick, Neil Edwards, James Hildreth and Justin Langer to leave them in deep trouble at 54-4. Ian Blackwell hit 64 in a stand of 84 with de Bruyn to get the innings back on track, before he was caught behind off the bowling of England's Matthew Hoggard.

De Bruyn then put on 100 with Craig Kieswetter to take the score to 242 and put the hosts in the driving seat but when the young wicket-keeper was out for 41, Somerset's hopes appeared lost.

Their last four wickets crashed for the addition of just 40 runs - de Bruyn ninth out for a battling 103. Andy Caddick was last man out - for a second duck of the match - to leave Somerset all out for 282 with under four over left.

After winning the toss, Yorkshire crashed from 315-3 to 372 all out with South African Jaques Rudolph scoring 155. Charl Willoughby (4-65) was the pick of Somerset's bowlers.

Trescothick (51) and Kieswetter (67 not out) hit half centuries in Somerset's reply, but they could only manage 258 all out - a deficit of 114.

However, the bowlers fought back well, with Alfonso Thomas snapping up an outstanding 5-46, as Yorkshire were all out for 208, to set up an exciting final day.