Olly Stone was the pick of the Nottinghamshire bowlers, taking 4/62, as the second day at Trent Bridge finished with the home side 33/1 in their second innings, just eight runs behind visitors Hampshire.

Stone was supported by Dillon Pennington, who took 3/70, as the home attack limited Hampshire’s first innings lead to just 41, bowling them out for 276.

The day also saw Lyndon James reach his first century of the season, crashing a full and wide delivery from Kyle Abbott to the boundary to reach the milestone early in the day.

James and Dane Paterson put on 23 for the final wicket as the hosts posted 235 all out, a marked recovery from 50/6 earlier in their innings.

And Nottinghamshire made the perfect start with the ball as Olly Stone found Ali Orr's edge with just the third ball of the visitors’ innings.

The England international then removed Felix Organ for his second scalp before Paterson took the crucial wicket of James Vince on the stroke of lunch, the Hampshire skipper nicking off and Joe Clarke doing the rest.

Shortly after the interval, Pennington had Fletcha Middleton caught behind with the faintest of edges to leave Hampshire 61/4.

Stone carved out his third wicket of the day 10 overs later as Will Young provided the safe pair of hands in the slip cordon to send Ben Brown back to the pavilion.

The Nottinghamshire bowlers dug in during a 157-run partnership between Hampshire’s Liam Dawson and Keith Barker, a stand which was broken by a textbook piece of fast bowling from Stone as he rearranged Barker’s stumps.

Pennington struck to see the back of James Fuller, caught by substitute fielder James Hayes, before Calvin Harrison had Kyle Abbott trapped lbw to leave Hampshire eight down.

With Tom Prest unable to bat, Liam Dawson was the ninth and final wicket to fall, caught by Harrsion just in front of the third man boundary off the bowling of Pennington.

Ben Slater and Young were then able to navigate the last hour of play, weathering the early departure of Haseeb Hameed, to leave the match delicately poised at the halfway stage.

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