Wickets were shared around as Nottinghamshire’s bowlers ensured honours were even on the first day against Hampshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
Brett Hutton and Dane Paterson each picked up three scalps, while Luke Fletcher snared two, and Joey Evison and Steven Mullaney both took one apiece as Hampshire, having opted to bat first, were all out for 226.
The Green and Golds then had 11 overs remaining late on in which to bat, and despite losing Haseeb Hameed, largely negotiated them with little trouble, closing on 29 for one, 197 in arrears.
Conditions were somewhat mixed, as bright sunlight illuminated the Ageas Bowl for much of the day, but the action took place upon a surface with a hint of green, and batting proved difficult.
Hampshire’s openers Joe Weatherley and Ian Holland started watchfully with an opening partnership of 15 from ten overs, before the former edged Hutton to Ben Duckett at second slip for 11.
Holland then fell just five balls later with no further addition to the total as Fletcher pinned him in front for three, before a partnership of 30 between Tom Alsop and Nick Gubbins halted the Green and Golds’ charge.
That particular stand was ended by Dane Paterson, who induced Alsop into playing onto his own stumps for 16, before Gubbins and James Vince saw the hosts through to lunch at 53 for three.
Vince busily helped himself to a 42-ball 30, but became Hutton’s second victim of the day when he flashed at a wide one and saw the ball sharply held by Hameed above his head at third slip.
Gubbins put up a fight, adding 54 for the fifth wicket with Liam Dawson as the Green and Golds grew frustrated, and reached his own individual fifty as the score ticked beyond three figures.
However, Notts fought back through Academy graduate Joey Evison, who snared Gubbins for 54 with one that clipped his off stump, before Dawson followed not long after, edging Paterson to Duckett for 31.
Some late blows from Felix Organ (36) were supplemented by contributions from Keith Barker and James Fuller as Hampshire edged nearer to 200, but the pendulum swung back Notts’ way with two quick scalps.
Fuller saw his off stump part company with the ground courtesy of Hutton, before Paterson removed Barker as Liam Patterson-White gobbled up a leading edge at cover to leave the hosts 188 for eight.
Visiting captain Mullaney bowled Brad Wheal as Hampshire fell to 193 for nine, but Organ’s fightback saw them to a bonus point before he too was bowled, this time by Fletcher, as the innings was brought to a close.
Hameed was caught behind off Barker early on, but Duckett and Ben Slater rectified the situation with an unbroken stand of 18, before bad light brought proceedings to an end three overs before the planned close.