Day one: Hampshie 319, Notts 39-1

Adam Wheater’s second century of the season helped Hampshire pick up three batting points in their crucial Specsavers County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

The 26-year old scored 102, getting his runs from 147 balls, with 12 fours and a six as his side reached 319 before bowled out in 83 overs.

Half centuries from Lewis McManus and Liam Dawson backed up Wheater’s fine effort, with Luke Wood taking three for 53 for the hosts.

Nottinghamshire responded with 39 for one in the final 11 overs of the day.

With the two county sides entering this round of matches occupying the bottom two places in the Division One table, the opening stages were inevitably important after Hampshire had won the toss and opted to bat first.

Wood, playing his first championship match of the season, led Nottinghamshire’s charge by nipping out both openers and then returned to the attack to dismiss Liam Dawson just before lunch.

The 21-year old struck early; capturing the wicket of Jimmy Adams in his second over. The batsman caressed his second boundary through the covers off the young left-arm seamer but then lost his off bail to a perfectly-pitched away-swinger.

Will Smith, skippering Hants against his former county, made 12 but was then pinned on the crease by Wood and was given out lbw.

Dawson dominated the third wicket stand of 65 but lost his partner as the first session drew towards a close. Tom Alsop, who had battled for 92 minutes in making 17, fell lbw whilst trying to sweep in Samit Patel’s first over.

Notts skipper Chris Read brought back Wood and his first delivery prompted Dawson to pop up a simple catch to Michael Lumb at short midwicket.

Harry Gurney took the only wicket to fall during the middle session, pinning Ryan McLaren lbw for 16 but the sixth wicket pair of Wheater and Lewis McManus steadied the ship during their sixth wicket stand of 123.

McManus, who reached his 50 from 101 balls, was superbly caught for 56 by Chris Read after being surprised by a short-pitched ball from Steven Mullaney.

Wheater’s fine knock ended shortly after he’d reach three figures, tamely chipping Imran Tahir to midwicket. Hampshire’s last four wickets fell for 15 as Mason Crane and Brad Wheal departed without scoring, before Andy Carter, on his Hampshire debut, was mopped up by Ball for 4.

When Notts batted, Jake Libby became the fifth batsmen to be dismissed lbw when he was pinned by Ryan McLaren for 11. Jake Ball, sent in as nightwatchman, was put down by Adams at second slip, leaving the first day honours just about even.

Wheater said: “If I’m being honest I think we feel we’re a little short on there but Smudge (captain Will Smith) just mentioned you never really know until both teams have bowled on it.

"Hopefully I’ll be proved wrong but we could be in for a hard day's graft tomorrow.

“I feel good, I think wickets have generally been pretty good this season. You only have to look at the big scores and see the number of batsmen that have scored hundreds and double hundreds but it feels good to get another myself today.”

Wood said: “It’s my first proper game back so it’ll be interesting to see how I pull up tomorrow but it’s good to get a few wickets early on and we’ve done well to bowl them out in the day, on what looks to be a pretty flat pitch. Hopefully we will bat well tomorrow and go on to get a decent-sized lead.

“The weather suited me this morning because it swung nicely and it was nice to get the two early wickets.

"The one that got Jimmy Adams was one of the better balls I’ve bowled. My role is to pitch it up full, be aggressive and it paid off early today and then the captain thought he’d like to see if it was still swinging just before lunch and I managed to pick up the key wicket of Dawson.”