WILL Smith led Hampshire to a dramatic win in his first match as the county’s captain, before admitting: Tino Best and Mason Crane are gold dust.

Best’s pace and Mason Crane’s leg-spin tormented Nottinghamshire as Hampshire secured their first Specsavers County Championship win of the season, by 69 runs at The Ageas Bowl.

They took seven wickets between them on the final day- 12 in the match - as Notts, having been set 305 to win in a minimum of 86 overs, were bowled out for 235.

The combination of a quality fast bowler and a world-class leg-spinner has been a feature of many great sides over the years.

Crane and Fidel Edwards worked together to great effect during Hampshire’s Great Escape and Best has proved to be an inspired signing after coming in for his injured former West Indies teammate.

Smith said: “Having Tino bowling at 90mph and a really good leg spinner in Mason are weapons that are absolute gold dust as a captain.

“They gave the team a lot of confidence, knowing something might happen out of nowhere.”

Hampshire, 189-8 overnight, batted on for eight overs before declaring on 223-9.

Best struck twice in his opening spell, removing Jake Libby and pinning the left-handed Michael Lumb from round the wicket before Ryan McLaren accounted for Steven Mullaney and Riki Wessels either side of lunch to reduce Notts to 68-4.

A partnership of 108 between Brendan Taylor and Samit Patel gave Nottinghamshire hope.

But with Notts 176-4, needing another 129 at the halfway point, Crane struck.

Taylor made a match-saving century in the corresponding fixture of last season and was threatening another, having celebrated his first fifty of the season with unbridled joy.

But he was caught by Best at mid-on when he attempted to take on Crane ten minutes before tea.

Needing 128 from 29 overs when they began the final session, Notts were given more hope when Sean Ervine put down Dan Christian at slip, off Crane.

Ervine’s former Hampshire T20 teammate soon hit a straight six, contributing 31 to a stand of 46 with Samit Patel before he was bowled by a spectacular Best yorker.

The celebrations were almost entertaining as the sight of the cartwheeling middle stump. It was the key wicket.

Four balls later, with the score still on 222, Brett Hutton tried to take on a Best bouncer only to be caught at fine leg by Crane, who did well to hold on as he fell forward.

Then Crane completed the win with successive deliveries. Patel (68) went on the offensive but edged to slip and then Harry Gurney was caught at point.

With Notts captain Chris Read’s damaged arm in a cast, that was that.

“There were few twitchy moments but it was great to know we had those extra 30 runs in the bank, knowing we had plenty of rough for Mason outside the leg stump,” added Smith.

“Mason’s control was phenomenal. Wickets don’t have to be [spin-friendly] for him to be factor because he’s a big spinner of the ball anyway and he has good skills and good control.

“But any little bit of help we can give him is a bonus. And all credit to the guys for getting Tino in. It would have been seen as a gamble by some but, whether he’s delivering a yorker or bouncer, he has really good control of length which, at 90mph, is not a bad combination.”

Hampshire’s 21-point haul takes them above Surrey at the foot of the table.