Counter-attacking half-centuries for Freddie McCann and Jack Haynes gave Nottinghamshire plenty to build on during a rain-interrupted opening day of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Hampshire at Utilita Bowl.

McCann crafted a knock of 79 that intelligently varied in its pace according to the requirements of the match, while Haynes’ unbeaten 70 was more fluent and cashed in late on.

On a day that saw 30 overs lost to inclement weather, McCann and Haynes’ respectively well-applied knocks allowed Notts to claw their way to the promising position of 241-5 at stumps.

The delay itself had arrived just 40 minutes into the morning’s play, with McCann and Ben Slater forced from the field at 20-1 after Hampshire had won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Play was not able to resume until 2:45pm, but once it did, Slater was denied the chance to extend his run of seven successive scores above fifty as he was bowled by Kyle Abbott.

However, McCann and Joe Clarke, who made 32, fought back against the testing bowling provided by Abbott, Eddie Jack, and Sonny Baker with a partnership of 74 for the third wicket.

Contained within that was McCann’s fifty, brought up in 65 balls and containing seven fours, as the visitors looked to take advantage of the sun finally making a protracted appearance.

Having put in the hard yards over his first 50 balls, Clarke was removed by Fuller when Fletcha Middleton claimed a catch at gully.

McCann himself then became Abbott’s second scalp as he was gut-wrenchingly caught by Baker while looking well-set.

However, a further weighty stand of 84 between Haynes and Kyle Verreynne wrestled back the initiative, as Haynes set off speedily before hitting fifty in 54 balls.

He would go on to end the day, which was again cut short, this time by the comparatively smaller margin of 3.5 overs, due to bad light, unbeaten following Verreynne’s dismissal for 42.

His accompanying partner on the second morning will be Lyndon James, who ended on six, with Notts’ first order of duty being the acquisition of a first batting point.

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