HAMPSHIRE looked anything but PPP Healthcare County Champi-onship leaders as a sloppy performance in the field let Nottinghamshire off the hook on yesterday's opening day at Trent Bridge.

Hampshire conceded no fewer than 73 extras to help Notts recover from an uneasy 44-3 early on to reach 324 all out.

They conceded 24 wides, although that figure should have been even higher as the umpires attributed some other wayward deliveries to byes, which was harsh on wicket-keeper Adrian Aymes. Hampshire's early success appeared to vindicate the decision by Robin Smith to put Notts in on another green pitch.

But only when the bowlers really bent their back did they gain the reward, and Hampshire didn't do that often enough after a promising start.

Paul Johnson began the Notts recovery by hammering seven fours in his typically belligerent 45 before he fell just before the lunch break. Graeme Archer and Matthew Dowman, who had been drafted in as a late replacement after making a double 100 for the second team, put on 101 for the fifth wicket in the afternoon session.

Despite that, Notts slipped to 217-7 shortly before tea, only for Paul Franks to launch into the Hampshire bowlers.

The England A all-rounder hammered ten fours and a six in his 61, rattled up off only 74 deliveries.

He was eventually the last man to fall as the Hampshire bowlers shared the wickets between them.

Notts gained further encouragement in the closing stages of the day when West Indian all-rounder Vasbert Drakes knocked back John Stephenson's leg stump as they reached 41-1 in their reply.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.