Aymes proves his value to Hants with rearguard against Notts

Hampshire supporters are used to late order resistence from Adrian Aymes. He provided some more to thwart Nottinghamshire on the first day of this CricInfo Championship match at the Rose Bowl. Aymes may now be 37 but is still valuable to the Hampshire cause as he proved yet again with an unbeaten 86, his best score of the season.

Robin Smith chose to bat first but Nottinghamshire pace bowler Richard Logan removed openers Derek Kenway and Giles White in five balls and Will Kendall's disappointing season continued when he was beaten on the back foot by Greg Smith's extra pace.

Robin Smith produced some of his vintage shots on the off side in making 49 in 78 balls but then gave a low catch at slip off Kevin Pietersen. Aymes and Dimitri Mascarenhas then came together in the best stand of the day, 83 for the sixth wicket, ended when Mascarenhas was deceived by a straighter delivery from Richard Stemp.

But there was no stopping Aymes who made the best of solid support from Shaun Udal (20) and Alex Morris. Rain cut 13 overs from the day's schedule after tea and in the last over of the day Aymes had his one piece of luck. Pietersen put him down at second slip off a sharp low chance when Greg Smith found the edge.

At the close Aymes was 14 away from his eighth century and Hampshire were 292 for eight from 92 overs. Richard Logan was the most successful of the bowlers with three for 75 while Smith can count himself unfortunate not to have better figures than two for 39 from 18 overs.