HAMPSHIRE star Fidel Edwards claimed four wickets but Nottinghamshire hold the upper hand after day one of their Specsavers County Championship clash at Trent Bridge.

Sami Patel top-scored with 73 while Riki Wessels added 54 and Ross Taylor 47 as the division one leaders recovered from a poor start to make 302, with Hampshire paceman Edwards taking 4-84.

England seamer Stuart Broad, having contributed 33 with the bat, then dismissed both Hampshire openers cheaply as the visitors closed on 70 for three, still 232 runs behind.

Notts looked in trouble early on as they slumped to 27 for three after opting to bat, but Patel and Taylor changed the complexion of the morning session with a 95-run stand.

Taylor, on his home debut for Notts, followed up his fifties against Yorkshire and Worcestershire with a stylish innings that contained eight boundaries and appeared in little difficulty before a miscommunication with his batting partner resulted in an unnecessary run out.

Patel became Edwards’ third victim, as the first ball of a comeback spell was pulled into the hands of deep square leg to leave the hosts on 176 for five.

Useful contributions followed from Tom Moores, who continued his steady start to the campaign with 29, and Broad, who shared in an enterprising stand of 54 with Wessels.

Luke Fletcher gloved behind, giving Edwards his fourth scalp, and he was soon followed back by Wessels, who pulled Brad Wheal to Liam Dawson in the deep.

Nottinghamshire’s last pair scrambled a final batting point before Dawson bowled Jake Ball for 11, leaving Harry Gurney undefeated on 16.

Hampshire lost Jimmy Adams for a duck in the second over, to Broad, who also removed Joe Weatherley, thanks to a juggling catch at third slip from Taylor.

James Vince made just five before being pinned lbw by Fletcher but South African duo Hashim Amla (27) and Rilee Rossouw (24) remained together in an unbroken partnership of 47 in the final hour of the day.

Hampshire coach Craig White said: “It was a strange day of cricket. We were far away from our best and I don’t think Notts will be that happy either, really.

“We just kept dishing up bad balls but they kept making mistakes as well, so it’s hard to say what a par score is on there, it was just a funny old day’s cricket.”

Patel said: “If someone had given us 300 at the start of the day we’d probably have taken it.”