WILL Smith and Jimmy Adams boosted Hampshire’s survival hopes with the county’s biggest partnership for two years.

The opening pair shared 191 from 68 overs - Hampshire’s highest partnership for any wicket since winning promotion in 2014 - with Smith finishing the day on 99 not out (284 balls, 13 fours) as his side closed day one against Lancashire on 272-1.

Adams finally departed in the fifth over of the final session for 88 (202 balls 14 fours), caught high at point after an uncharacteristically loose shot against Jordan Clark.

But Smith, having won a rare Ageas Bowl toss, is a single away from his first division one ton for more than three years.

He added an unbroken 85 with Tom Alsop, who reached a 91-ball fifty in the day’s final over by clipping impressive Lancashire debutant Saqib Mahmood for his eighth four.

It would take the most determined out of statisticians to calculate the last time Hampshire conceded a solitary wicket while batting all day.

Smith survived on 70, when he was put down by namesake Tom, while Adams was the subject of a big appeal when he also edged to second slip on 28.

But there were no other chances offered as the pair amassed Hampshire’s joint second highest partnership for any wicket against Lancashire (matching Adam Wheater and Matt Coles’ 191 for the eight-wicket at Southport in 2013).

Not since Jason Laney and Derek Kenway’s 212 at Northlands Road in 1999 have a Hampshire opening pair been so prolific against the Red Rose county.

When Hampshire played Lancashire at Old Trafford in May they were skittled for 109, albeit against an attack including James Anderson.

But this was Adams and Smith’s second century stand in four matches and they are averaging 95.8 for the first wicket in Hampshire’s last five first innings since being united at the top of the order.

After passing fifty for the fifth time this season - and then his previous best of 86 - Adams was disappointed not to make his first century of the campaign.

“It’s never nice when you feel like you are going ok and then you get out in the manner I did,” he said.

“We’ll have a better idea of how the day went when Lancashire have batted but we’re delighted with where we are.

“Will and I have managed to egg each other on a bit since we started opening up and we have a great chance to get a strong hold on the game.

“I rode my luck at times. They were quite disciplined and the pitch still offered something for the bowlers when they hit a good length hard. So we still have work to do.”