There is no doubting James Vince’s talent, but he showed he can also dig deep as Hampshire fought back against Nottinghamshire.

Vince treated Hampshire fans to a run-a-ball 39 on the first day of LV= County Championship cricket at the Rose Bowl this year.

But after Notts established a first-innings lead of 28, he showed he also has healthy reserves of stickability by batting for more than two hours for an unbeaten 29 that helped Hampshire reach the end of the penultmate day on 177-4, a lead of 149.

Vince’s eye-pleasing strokeplay has been evident from the day he made 75 on debut against the same Notts attack in the corresponding fixture last June.

That remains his career-best first-class score but the 19-year-old continued his development by displaying high levels of patience in Hampshire's second innings against Notts.

Vince batted with discipline, ignoring the temptation to go for too many shots outside off stump while putting on 56 in 30 overs for Hampshire's fifth wicket with captain Nic Pothas.

Jimmy Adams, another Hampshire Academy product, held the innings together with 60 before he was caught at short leg in the third over after tea.

But Vince and Pothas’s blend of youth and experience thwarted the Notts attack for the rest of the day. Both faced the equivalent of more than 16 overs for their 29 unbeaten runs.

Other teenagers might have been low on confidence in a side that has lost five successive games but Vince batted with the assurance of a veteran.

Michael Carberry believes he and the rest of Hampshire’s youngsters will benefit from the county’s disappointing start to the season.

“As a senior player, the beauty is they don’t look fazed,” explained Carberry, who was out for 14 when he succumbed to the temptation of a well-angled Darren Pattinson delivery in the ninth over of Hampshire’s reply.

“If they have too big a rise and only know about success they don’t really know how to deal with failure, which as a batsmen is the hardest thing to have to deal with.

“Going through tough times will help them blossom later on. Big scores will come with time and experience but the natural tools are there. It’s just about learning ball selction.”

While Vince succeeded despite eschewing his natural flair, two experienced members of Hampshire’s top five are feeling the pressure.

Chris Benham (19.9) and Neil McKenzie (14.57) are both averaging less than 20 in the Championship this season. Benham was lbw for 18 trying to sweep slow left armer Samit Patel in mid afternoon.

And McKenzie was out chasing a wide ball from Charlie Shreck a few overs before tea, a shocking dismissal for a batsman with 58 Test caps to his name.

At least Dominic Cork is still firing.

After Notts resumed on 274-3, the evergreen all-rounder took the last three wickets in less than four overs to finish with 4-34, limiting the hosts to 328 in reply to Hampshire’s 300.

Hampshire bowling: Kabir Ali 24-2-92-3, Cork 16.3-7-34-4, Ervine 13-0-48-1, Griffiths 14.1-1-71-0, Herath 34-7-68-2, Carberry 1-1-0-0