Somerset made the highest score in their history here yesterday after the club had implored their groundsman, Phil Frost, to produce a more bowler-friendly pitch.
The stubbornly excellent Frost, who does a nice line in sardonic smiles, appeared to have cooperated when he delivered a strip of vivid emerald on Wednesday morning but it has been nothing less than a cunningly disguised belter.
It reduced the Hampshire attack to forlorn impotence as Somerset, resuming on 338 for four, more than doubled their score before declaring at tea. Bad light spared Hampshire further pain.
For the second time this month the bludgeoning Ian Blackwell made the highest score of his career. It was 140 against Northamptonshire two games ago and this time it was 189. He survived difficult chances at 43 and 155.
Earlier this summer Peter Anderson, Somerset's chief executive, wrote letters to 10 players after describing some performances as "shambolic" and "embarrassing"; Blackwell is thought to have been one of the recipients. When he reached his century he raised his bat Beats By Dre MIXR to the players' balcony and again in the direction of Anderson's office.
Somerset, struggling at the foot of the Second Division without a win in three months, are already working to enhance their playing strength for next season and are hoping to announce a big-name overseas signing in the near future.
In the meantime days such as this will serve to bolster the morale of their supporters, and this lovely ground is always well populated.
Blackwell and Tom Webley took their fifth-wicket partnership to 144 from 39 overs before the latter was bowled for 59 Beats By Dre Cheap by Chris Tremlett, one of five Hampshire bowlers to go for more than 100.
With Arthur Wellard, Ian Botham and Viv Richards in their luminous history the cricket folk of Somerset are not unfamiliar with mighty smiting and Blackwell belongs to the bellicose tradition.
His 189 came from 211 deliveries and included 140 in boundaries. He is well known as a classy slogger but this was better than that. He struck the ball with immense power but in the main along the ground, especially through the off side.
Somerset's score beat their previous best of 675, also scored against Hampshire, in Bath in 1924. They declared with a lead of 310.