WITH three days of the season remaining, Hampshire can still retain their LV County Championship first division status.

But their hopes of getting the win they need received a setback as they failed to make the most of an outstanding start inspired by Fidel Edwards.

The West Indian fast bowler reduced Notts to 39-3 and finished with 6-88 - his best first-class figures since he was at the peak of his Test career seven years ago - before Riki Wessels’ 104 helped the home side to 340 after being put in.

Hampshire will begin day two on 0-1 after nightwatchman Ryan Stevenson edged the first ball of the reply from Stuart Broad.

They also struck early after winning the toss.

Edwards, who took eight wickets against Notts in a pre-season match in his native Barbados, dismissed Brendan Taylor (2), Jake Libby (1) and Samit Patel (19) inside his first five overs.

Wessels and Steven Mullaney (58) led the Nottinghamshire fightback, adding 115 either side of lunch. Hampshire missed one opportunity to part them as a regulation nick from Mullaney was grassed by Sean Ervine at first slip, off Edwards.

The reprieved batsman only made six more before being bowled as he tried to whip Liam Dawson to leg.

Billy Root began confidently on his county debut, The left-hander, younger brother of Joe Root, forced the ball to the ropes on six occasions in his 37 before he was smartly taken by Ervine, who responded to the ball rebounding out of James Vince’s hand at second slip.

Wessels’ 153-ball ton included 13 fours and a six but he tamely clipped the third ball after tea to midwicket and three overs later Read was bowled by Edwards, shouldering arms.

Having lost three wickets for 11 runs, Notts rebuilt once more, with Broad (37) and Brett Hutton (46) taking the total beyond 300 in a partnership of 74.

Edwards induced Broad into hooking into the hands of Ryan McLaren at fine leg, before demolishing Jake Ball’s stumps.

Hutton farmed the strike in a last-wicket partnership with Harry Gurney before hoisted Berg into the deep.

Hampshire coach Dale Benknestein said:  “After putting them in we would have liked to bowl them out for 260 and we had a chance to do that.

“It wasn’t our best bowling performance discipline wise but a few poor shots got us back in the game and we’ve got full bonus points which is a real positive.

“Day two is all about getting as many bonus points as we can and that’ll set the game up. 

“If we can get a lead that gives us a natural way of winning. If it doesn’t it may be a case of chasing something on the last day because they also need the win to finish second.

“They have a very good attack and a quality bowler in Broady so we’ll have to bat well, but it looks a very good wicket and will get better with a bit of sun on it.”

Notts coach Mick Newell said: “It was a day where you’d rather have won the toss and had a bowl but we batted well after lunch.”

Meanwhile, Hampshire  were grateful to half-centuries from Gary Ballance and Adil Rashid as Yorkshire closed a rain-affected first day of their match against Sussex on 241-7.

Sussex will send Hampshire down, whatever the result at Trent Bridge, if they beat the champions at Headingley.      

Hampshire bowling: Edwards 21-3-88-6, McLaren 22-2-74-0, Berg 19.3-3-51-2, Stevenson 14-1-63-0, Dawson 10-1-38-1, Ervine 6-2-11-1.