Alex Hales was again amongst the runs as Nottinghamshire prospered on the first day of their LV= County Championship match against Hampshire at Southampton.
The in-form Hales, who made 236 in the first innings of last week’s match against Yorkshire, again made the most of a Sunday at the crease by scoring an unbeaten 136 as Nottinghamshire reached 301 for six on an overcast day under The Ageas Bowl floodlights.
Put into bat, Notts might have feared the worst but another composed red ball hundred from Hales gave the visitors the spoils on their first championship appearance on the ground since 2011.
“Its been a good day for me and the team," said the 26-year-old batsman. "We would have ideally liked to have fielded first, there was a little bit in the wicket but once the innings progressed it got a bit easier to play.
“It is a purple patch, I’m really enjoying my cricket at the moment. I’ve got to not get complacent and keep churning out runs when I’m in this form.
“The plan is the bat as long as we can tomorrow and push 350 or 400 and get those extra points. If we come out and stick the ball in the right areas there is still plenty in the wicket to get a result.”
Steven Mullaney followed scores of 22, 44, 27 and 20 by compiling his first championship half century of the summer before departing for 66.
“Obviously I’m pleased to have gone on and reached fifty this time,” he said, “But I’m still a little frustrated at not going on and making it a really big one.”
Although the conditions were testing at the start, Mullaney felt it was up to Hampshire to validate their decision at the toss.
“The pressure was on the bowlers in that situation. They’d won the toss and put us in and the conditions were in their favour but luckily we had a few loose balls early on and put them away.
“We got off to a good start and I’m really enjoying batting with Brendan Taylor at the top of the order. Then it was a real pleasure to have a partnership with Alex Hales. He’s a special talent and hopefully, for his sake, he’ll be in an England shirt before too long, if not – it’s our gain.
“Hopefully he can stick around in the morning, help get us to a good score and then our bowlers can put the ball in good areas and give them a few problems.”
With gloomy conditions overhead, umpires Steve O’Shaughnessy and Nigel Cowley were reluctant to let the toss go ahead as scheduled but their meter readings indicated that the light had improved after a short delay.
Nottinghamshire’s side showed one enforced change, with the absence of Harry Gurney paving the way for Luke Wood to step in for his second championship match.
The Hampshire line-up included two familiar faces to Trent Bridge supporters, with Andre Adams making his home debut for the south coast side alongside another former Outlaw in Will Smith.
Mullaney got his innings off to a pleasing start, working Gareth Berg for consecutive boundaries at the start of the second over and he and Brendan Taylor again gave Notts a solid platform by remaining together for 22 overs.
Taylor then became the only wicket to fall in the morning session, bowled by Danny Briggs after battling his way to 24 out of an opening stand of 61.
Mullaney’s 50 arrived after facing 138 balls, with 7 fours and was a deserved reward for a very watchful knock in bowler-friendly conditions.
His second wicket partnership with Hales advanced to 84 before the hosts struck half an hour before the tea interval. Sean Ervine offered width and Mullaney chased it and edged behind, where wicketkeeper Adam Wheater took a fine tumbling catch in front of the slips.
Hales took on the mantle of being the set batsman and played four delightful shots in quick succession, two through extra cover and two behind square, as he brought up his own 50, from 108 balls with 9 fours.
Liam Dawson was introduced into the attack straight after tea, for his first bowl of the day. His first delivery was swept by James Taylor for four but an attempted repeat saw the ball loop up to Ervine at slip and the umpire raised his finger to end Taylor’s stay on 10.
Hales hit Andre Adams for three boundaries in an over to take the score past 200, but the former New Zealand international bounced back with the fourth wicket of the day, getting Samit Patel to nick to Dawson at slip.
In 2010 Hales’ maiden first class hundred came against Hampshire at Trent Bridge. His eleventh came against the same opponents with a flashing drive off James Tomlinson, that narrowly eluded Michael Carberry at backward point.
The century had come from 156 deliveries, with 20 boundaries and also took the batsman past 500 first class runs this summer, the first in the country to the landmark.
Gareth Berg picked up wickets either side of the second new ball. Riki Wessels fell for 17, in the 80th over, caught at slip by Dawson and then Read went for 4 in the next over, with a mistimed clip to leg looping high to Andre Adams at mid on.
Will Gidman enjoyed a confident start to his innings and seemed relatively untroubled in reaching 22 not out by stumps.
Hales, having fallen early on the second morning last week, will be doubly keen to set his stall out for another lengthy stay in the middle.
The excitement of the NatWest T20 Blast returns to Trent Bridge in May as Notts Outlaws hope to break the 10,000 barrier for the arrival of reigning champions Birmingham Bears on Friday 15 May.
Adult tickets are available at a special price of £10 and further discounts in place for under 16s (£5), under21s (£7) and senior citizens (£7) when buying in advance. Make Trent Bridge a firm fixture for your Friday nights and secure your seats now.