Livingstone registered back-to-back half-centuries for the Red Rose county, sharing a 59-run partnership with skipper, Steven Croft, who fell six runs short of his second century of the year in helping the visitors to reach 493/9 declared. Lancashire's steady progress with the bat was halted by persistent rain in the west country, with the indifferent weather forcing an early lunch and the loss of 34 overs.
With a sizeable first-innings score on the board, Lancashire were able to get Somerset in for six nervous overs at the end of the day, with Marcus Trescothick (4*) and Tom Abell (9*) surviving this potentially dangerous spell to reach close on 14/0.
Lancashire added 77 runs to their overnight total of 295/4 before rain forced the players to leave the field at 12.20pm and they did not return again until quarter past four, as an early tea was also taken at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
Somerset toiled for minimal reward on the first day of this match, with the visitors capitalising on the opportunity to bat first on a typically strong batting wicket at Taunton. The Somerset seamers made a vast improvement on their bowling from the previous day and were disciplined enough to comfortably deny Lancashire a fourth batting point.
Tim Groenewald (2-50) struck in the first over of the day, exploiting an edge from an eager Alex Davies (32), who prodded and edged behind to his namesake, Ryan, off the final ball of the over after he and Croft had added 45 runs for the fifth wicket yesterday evening.
After starting Day Two with a wicket maiden, the loss of Lancashire's keeper-batsman largely set the tone for the first hour of the day, as the Red Rose claimed only three batting points by the time they had batted 110 overs. They scored just seven runs in as many overs at the start of the day, although they were in the process of building a healthy first-innings total, in the hope that their superior seam attack could exploit more from the pitch than the Somerset bowlers.
After a thoroughly disciplined spell from Craig Overton (2-97) and Groenewald, the introduction of spinner, Jack Leach, gave Lancashire the opportunity to make a statement of intent, as Croft and Livingstone took the attack to Somerset before the persistent rain arrived. Leach conceded 17 runs in his second over, with both Croft and Livingstone both hitting sixes to restore the momentum that was absent in the first hour of the day.
Runs started to come easier for Lancashire after the first hour, with both Croft and Livingstone picking the gaps and running well to reach a fifty-partnership. Croft, who hit a century against Cambridge MCCU in Lancashire's pre-season friendly at Fenner's, had already surpassed Alviro Petersen's score of 83 and he had his sights on yet another ton.
With fond memories of hitting the winning runs in 2011 to secure the Division One title, Croft was hopeful of reaching what would have been an eleventh first-class century, but a thin edge to Davies off Roelof van der Merwe (3-87) ensured that Somerset claimed the prize wicket of the visiting captain, who returned to the pavilion to a standing ovation with 94 runs to his name.
A 59-run partnership with Livingstone propelled Lancashire beyond 350, as they continued to build a mammoth total, although it would be the 22-year-old who continued to dig in against the vastly improved Somerset attack. When the rain arrived, the Red Rose had progressed to 358/6 and a short session allowed them to add a further 14 runs before the heavens opened.
By the time play restarted deep into the afternoon, Lancashire were aware that they had to make up for lost time, with the rain forcing an early lunch and tea. There were 38.4 overs left in the day and Lancashire went on to reach a dominant first-innings score of 493/9 with Livingstone going on to record a new highest score in first-class cricket of 108 not out.
The Cumberland-born batsman reached back-to-back fifties in 59 balls, taking full opportunity of his exposure to the First Team after scoring 70 against Nottinghamshire on his first-class debut. Lancashire's lower-order batsman were keen to get the game moving, but Neil Wagner (13) was halted in his stride, as he came down the wicket and played all around a delivery from van der Merwe, providing Davies with a routine stumping.
James Anderson (8) also played his shots, initially to good effect, before he was tempted into an edge off the bowling of Craig Overton, forcing a good low catch by Marcus Trescothick at second slip to leave Lancashire on 399/8.
Playing in only his second first-class match for Lancashire, Livingstone continued to score fluently as he easily surpassed his score from the Nottinghamshire match, with Kyle Jarvis offering able support, to his cause, as they added 80 runs for the ninth wicket.
Jarvis, who hit four boundaries and one six in his innings of 34, proved to be more a more than useful batting partner to Livingstone, who became increasingly confident as he approached three figures. Having watched his captain fall in the nineties, Livingstone crashed a huge six to move to 96, demonstrating his conviction at the crease.
Livingstone completed the task when he reached his first hundred for Lancashire in only his second first-class appearance in 139 balls, with nine fours and two sixes. His partnership with Jarvis continued to frustrate the Somerset bowlers, who were becomingly increasingly despondent at the lack of opportunities on offer.
Zimbabwean Jarvis eventually fell to van der Merwe when he mistimed a stroke to Chris Rogers at cover, with Livingstone unbeaten on 108 when he Simon Kerrigan (11*) returned to the dressing room, as Lancashire declared on 493/9. Somerset endured a nerve-rattling spell of six overs at the end of the second day to reach 14/0 by stumps in reply to Lancashire's mammoth total.
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