Nottinghamshire captain Steven Mullaney admitted his side had been outplayed as they fell to a 270-run defeat to Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl.
Mullaney made 50 and shared in a stand of 88 with Riki Wessels, who scored 69, before the home side carved their way through the lower order.
“If you look back on the game there were a number of key areas in it that we could have done better,” he said.
“From 130-7, or whatever they were, to get another 140 runs was disappointing but Abbott and Dawson played really well.
“Then for us to be 20-odd for four, we were always behind the 8-ball but it was a good pitch that deteriorated, which we knew it would do.”
The overcast conditions on the first day made the decision to have a bowl seem the logical one but parting clouds and bright sunshine switched things around in the latter part of the day.
“Probably we would have looked to have a bat if the weather wasn’t like it was,” said Mullaney.
“But it would have been a gutsy decision to have a toss when you’ve got Steyn and Edwards opening the attack in bowler-friendly conditions.
“There are no complaints, we have been out-played and need to be better.”
Fidel Edwards took six wickets in Nottinghamshire’s first innings, the second time he has done that against the county.
“He’s a good bowler and he gets good players out,” reflected Mullaney.
“He bowled a fantastic spell but we saw second innings that if you can get through his first spell – and you have a little bit of luck – you can play well and we proved then that we can play against him.
"But 160 in the first innings wasn’t enough and we know we let ourselves down.”
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