Samit Patel scored another century as Nottinghamshire made the most of an opportunity to spend some time in the middle on the opening day of their fixture against Hampshire at Isolation Cavaliers CC.
Patel scored 105 before retiring, exactly matching his effort in last week’s match against Combined Campuses and Colleges.
With Riki Wessels adding 44, Chris Read retiring out for 43 and Sam Wood 35, Notts closed on 287 for six from their 90 overs.
Tom Barber returned the pick of the bowling figures for Hampshire, taking 3-56.
Patel scored his runs from 154 balls and hit 18 fours and one six. He shared in a third wicket stand of 97 with Sam Wood either side of lunch.
Wood’s eventual dismissal, given out lbw attempting a slog sweep against Danny Briggs, was the first time he’d been given out in his last four innings since Fidel Edwards removed him in the opening match of the tour. His 35 meant that he’d compiled 116 runs between those two dismissals.
Notts had been in some difficulties when Patel and Wood had first come together, after both openers had fallen cheaply during an opening hour which produced 24 runs.
Patel picked up the pace of the morning session by elegantly lifting Brad Wheal over square-leg for six and followed it with a near carbon copy which went for a one-bounce four.
The 50 stand arrived from 86 deliveries and the duo went to lunch with the total on 81-2.
After Wood’s departure, Wessels got off the mark with an elegant push through the covers for four off Briggs. That was his last scoring shot for 60 minutes as Hampshire tightened the grip, with the ball and in the field.
A cut to third man took Patel to his hundred and he hit the next ball, from Liam Dawson, for four before retiring.
Wessels would also have retired, had he survived one more delivery. He was about to be called in after making 44, off 100 balls with six fours and a six, when he tried to bring up his 50 but skied Barber to Jimmy Adams at mid-off.
Read enjoyed a characteristic knock before retiring after 91 minutes at the crease. Will Gidman (10) and Adam Tillcock (0) fell in the last half hour of the day but Brett Hutton impressed, playing some vigorous pulls in his 23 not out.
Earlier, Notts lost both openers inside the first half hour to the left arm pace of Barber. Steven Mullaney was caught at mid-off for one; Greg Smith made eight before he was caught behind attempting to drive.
Nottinghamshire will be in the field for the second day of the match, their final outing of the tour.
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