Having begun poorly with the loss of two early wickets, a series of half-centuries later in the day took Hampshire to 310 for seven by stumps on the first day.

Two chanceless fifties, first from Derek Kenway and then Robin Smith, during their third-wicket stand of 83, revived the Hampshire innings, taking it to 120 before Kenway was third out for 58, caught at short leg.

He had played a sensibly paced innings in partnership with his captain Smith as they both settled in well to score steadily against the double spin attack of Phil Tufnell and Paul Weekes. Kenway reached his fifty with a single off Tufnell after having hit Weekes for four to mid-wicket in the previous over. They took Hampshire to 93 for two at lunch.

Smith, who had reached his fifty in the tenth over after the break, stylishly square-cutting Chad Keegan for four, gave a return catch to Paul Weekes on 64 of which 40 came from hits to the boundary. His innings lasted more than two hours during which he faced 144 balls, but the caution that he and particularly Kenway showed in their batting was necessary in their attempt to consolidate the innings.

Hampshire lost two wickets in quick succession after Smith's dismissal. On 177 Lawrence Prittipaul was bowled by Angus Fraser by a ball that he did not attempt to play, having misjudged its line. A run later Dimitri Mascarenhas' wicket was the sixth to fall, caught behind without scoring. At tea Hampshire were 201 for six with Neil Johnson on 35 and Adrian Aymes on 12.

Half an hour after tea, Johnson completed his third consecutive half-century in Cricinfo Championship matches while he added 47 with Aymes for the seventh wicket. He was bowled on 54 as he gave room to himself to cut Weekes who finished the day with three for 62 from 26 overs.

Tufnell had an even longer spell, bowling 35 economical overs which cost him only 67 but brought him just the one wicket.

In the last session of play Aymes became the fourth Hampshire batsman to score a half-century on the day. Remarkably, all four fifties were chanceless. Aymes reached his from 115 balls, hitting six boundaries and at stumps remained unbeaten on 63, taking the unbroken eighth-wicket stand to 85 with Shaun Udal who had 36. They faced the 14 overs of the second new ball with comfort, taking 62 runs in the last hour's play.

Middlesex, playing their second Cricinfo championship match of the season at Southgate, had early success in the morning, claiming two wickets within the first hour's play.

Having decided to bat first on a fine sunny morning, Hampshire were soon two down for 37. Keegan had Giles White leg before wicket for three in the eighth over with 22 on the board.

Seven overs later, Simon Cook, having been brought on as first change replacing Fraser, struck quickly in his second over, with Will Kendall, who had taken ninteen balls to score his first and only run, edging to first slip. But Hampshire made up for the early losses with their gradual recovery throughout the day.

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