Jimmy Adams helped Hampshire to the county's biggest opening stand for two years after being recalled following a two-month absence.

The Winchester-born left hander has scored 406 runs at 40.60 in the second XI championship since being left out of Hampshire's first team following a sequence of 5, 11, 0,1,1,1 in May and June.

Against Warwickshire at the Rose Bowl yesterday he formed Hampshire's SEVENTH different opening pair of 2005 with Sean Ervine.

It was the first time that Hampshire have not had a right-handed opener for some time but they put on 104 for the first wicket.

Adams, who made 65 from 172 balls in his sixth championship appearance of the season, hit nine fours and a straight six against Alex Loudon's off spin. He was eventually out in the 53rd over after helping John Crawley add 74 for the second wicket.

His fifth first class fifty for Hampshire was his highest score since he made 75 and 65 not out at Glamorgan last July and it contributed to Hampshire's highest opening partnership since Adams shared a stand of 138 with Derek Kenway against Derbyshire at Derby in the last game of 2003.

More significantly, it is Hampshire's first ever century opening stand at the Rose Bowl in the championship and the first on home soil since September 1999, when Jason Laney and Kenway put on 129 against Somerset.

It is hoped Adams enjoys a longer career with his home county than fellow Hampshire-born openers Laney and Kenway, who have now both been released when they should have been at the peak of their powers.

Adams' previous highest score this season was the 35 he made in the second innings at Sussex in April and his 65 yesterday helped Hampshire to 353-7 at stumps.

The side winning the toss at the Rose Bowl has batted first and won every championship match at West End this season so the portents were good when Udal called correctly.

When stumps were drawn, Hampshire were on course for maximum batting points for only the second time this season.

Of the four Hampshire players to pass 50, Ervine was the quickest to his half century, needing only 67 balls, before he was caught at first slip for an 89-ball 60.

The 22-year-old has already been a huge success as an opening batsman at the Rose Bowl.

This was his fourth fifty in five championship innings and his third in succession at West End since being shunted to the top of the order.

He was eventually caught at first slip and after Adams had departed in similar fashion, Crawley (60) capitalised on what he rated as the best Rose Bowl track he has played on this season. The former England batsman put on 101 for the third wicket with Shane Watson (91 no) before he was caught at gully.

Jono McLean chased a wide ball to be caught behind four overs later and Nic Pothas was dismissed for the first time in five innings when he was trapped lbw by his compatriot Makhaya Ntini.

When Lamb was caught at gully late in the day, Hampshire had lost four wickets for 63.

But Watson was on course for his first championship ton of 2005 and was unbeaten on 91 from 142 balls when play resumed this morning.

He hit 13 fours and a six off Loudon that sailed over long on as Hampshire laid the foundation for a total they hope will be the basis of a seventh championship win of the season.

Crawley said: "I was impressed with the way Warwickshire bowled and stuck at it. It's a good pitch, the best we've played on at the Rose Bowl this season, there's no doubt about that.

"There's definitely enough in the wicket for the bowlers - it's a very, very good cricket wicket.

"The ball moved around quite a bit and we played and missed quite a lot throughout the day. Anything over 400 is always a good score and hopefully we can find the edge of the bat when we bowl."

Crawley believes this match will have little bearing on Saturday's C & G Trophy final against the same opponents.

"You have to isolate every competition and the importance of each game is huge. Once this match is over, we'll concentrate on the final," he said.