CLOSE: Nottinghamshire are 337-7 (Read 24*, Adams 31*) in reply to Hampshire's 293

Hampshire toiled in the Rose Bowl heat despite impressive performances from their two England one-day bowlers yesterday.

Chris Tremlett beat the bat with regularity during his 22 overs from the Pavilion End.

He was unfortunate to only have two wickets to show for his efforts as Nottinghamshire closed on 337-7, a first-innings lead of 44, at the end of the second day.

And Dimitri Mascarenhas was typically difficult to get away on a slow track until Andre Adams and Chris Read loosened the shackles towards the end of a soporific afternoon to take Notts past Hampshire's 293.

Mascarenhas took the last wicket of the day with the scores level when left-hander Paul Franks nicked to Michael Lumb at first slip, having just been beaten by a leg-cutter.

But Hampshire would have hoped for better after 6ft 7in Tremlett had dismissed a player even taller than him, 6ft 10in Will Jefferson, in the third over of the morning.

Jefferson (8) failed to get a decent stride to the ball, despite his telescopic limbs, and was trapped lbw.

It looked good for Hampshire at that stage but first-slip Lumb was left to rue a costly drop four overs later, when he put down an easy chance.

Mark Wagh had not troubled the scorers when he nicked another good Tremlett delivery with Notts 34-1.

Wagh made Hampshire pay for their profligacy.

He responded by clipping the next ball for four through mid-wicket as he and Matthew Wood put on 149 in 38 overs.

The second-wicket pair both reached fifty during Sean Ervine's only spell before lunch but midway through the afternoon session Lumb had the opportunity to redeem himself.

Kolpak signing Nantie Hayward, on his first-class debut for Hampshire, removed both Wagh and Wood in the space of four balls in the 15th over after lunch.

Hayward had been too wayward in his first first-class match for seven months.

The South African's first spell ended soon after an attempted slower ball at Wood resulted in an (unintentional) beamer and he had sent too many deliveries down the leg-side before Wagh (66) nicked to Lumb in the 15th over after lunch.

Three balls later, Hayward saw off Wood.

After former Hampshire and Bournemouth CC batsman Adam Voges had got off the mark with a single, Wood (77) edged a drive to Nic Pothas.

Extra bounce from Tremlett, who had replaced Hayward at the Pavilion End, did for Samit Patel (7) eight overs later.

And in the ninth over after tea, off-spinner Greg Lamb held on to a catch-of-the-season contender, a low one-handed effort off his own bowling after Bilal Shafayat (27) had drilled the ball straight back at him.

Voges did not enjoy a successful time at the Rose Bowl as the Hawks' Twenty20 overseas player last season but struck a patient 49 before he lost his middle stump, via an inside edge, as he tried to drive James Tomlinson in the eighth over with the second new ball.

Then, after Mascarenhas's efforts were rewarded with the wicket of Franks, Nottinghamshire's lower order reacted positively to the absence of injured duo Mark Ealham (thigh) and Graeme Swann (elbow) and England's Stuart Broad.

Adams, having starred with the ball in his first first-class match for six months, hit a quickfire 31 not out from just 24 balls.

Mascarenhas had not conceded a four until his 18th over but conceded three in quick succession, including one Adams hit that nearly cleared the boundary at long on, as Notts finished the day in a strong position.

Adams and Chris Read (24*) will resume their eighth wicket partnership tomorrow morning, having so far put on 44 in eight overs.

Hampshire bowling: Tremlett 25-4-65-2, Mascarenhas 22-10-36-1, Hayward 22-4-87-2, Tomlinson 17-1-72-1,Ervine 5-1-23-0, Lamb 11-2- 35-1