Day One

Joe Weatherley scored his maiden Specsavers County Championship half-century for 11 months as Hampshire edged Nottinghamshire on the first day of first-class cricket on the Isle of Wight since 1963.

Weatherley fluently struck 66 as Hampshire reached 288 for six, with Steven Mullaney and Jake Ball both taking two wickets each on a pulsating first day.

Professional cricket returned to the Isle of Wight for the first time in 57 years, with Newclose making its debut as a first-class ground.

The picturesque surroundings offer a beautiful hilly vista on one side and the occasion wasn’t lost on the Islanders or Hampshire members alike as a crowd of around 2,000 packed the bowl.

Nottinghamshire captain Steven Mullaney elected to bowl first without a toss in overcast conditions, albeit with a good paced track.

Weatherley batted fluently throughout the morning session, looking in excellent touch, to bring up his fifth half century of his first-class career was brought up in exactly 100 balls.

The opening pair of Weatherley and Soames, who had got a sighter for the pitch in a Second XI fixture against Middlesex on this ground earlier this month, put on a back-to-back three figure opening partnership.

But it was finally broken on 112 in the 43rd over of the day when Jake Ball found the ridge, which allowed balls to fly up off a length all day, to tickle Weatherley’s glove and be caught behind – although replays and the batsman’s reaction suggested the ball glanced off his forearm.

That wicket brought Ajinkya Rahane to the crease, having arrived late last week to replace Aiden Markram as Hampshire’s overseas player. In doing so he became the first Indian to play for the county.

Rahane departed soon after when he was caught at gully off the bowling of Stuart Broad.

Oli Soames, who scored 70 in the Second XI game, departed six runs short of what would have been a deserved fifty, two deliveries after the second interval – having batted out 190 deliveries.

Batting became more difficult as the day progressed, as Nottinghamshire’s bowlers hit their straps, and that was typified in the wickets of Sam Northeast and Tom Alsop – who both departed to Mullaney, the former lbw and the latter caught behind.

Liam Dawson battled hard in a useful 40-run stand with Aneurin Donald before Luke Fletcher bowled him with the second new ball.

Donald, who reached 35 not out, along with Ian Holland, guided Hampshire to the close without any further losses.

Day Two

A disciplined bowling performance from the Hampshire attack tested a strong Nottinghamshire bowling attack, despite a century from Steven Mullaney on day two at Newclose.

Kyle Abbott, Keith Barker and Fidel Edwards each claimed three wickets apiece on another good day for Sam Northeast's side.

Skipper Mullaney dragged his side out of two collapses to reach an exceptional 14th first-class century, but Notts still had a 71-run first innings deficit, which was increased to 74 by the end of the day.

After an overcast first day at Newclose, the sun shone brightly to create an even more festival atmosphere – increased by a batch of partisan Australian students armed with an airhorn.

Hampshire were bowled out for 310 within the first hour of the day before Nottinghamshire stuttered in response.

Openers Ben Slater and Ben Duckett both departed within the first 10 overs, the former cut onto his own stumps while the latter edged behind.

Chris Nash was undone by Abbott as his misjudged a pull shot to loop a simple catch to Northeast at mid-on, before the seamer castled Joe Clarke.

Nottinghamshire were left staring at the follow-on target of 160 when Jake Libby was leg-before to Keith Barker as they slumped to 72 for five.

The signs for a Nottinghamshire fightback were put in place by Mullaney and Tom Moores in an attractive 79-runs partnership.

But Moores’ departure, caught behind while attempting to pull, sparked another mini-collapse.

Luke Fletcher was lbw to Barker and Stuart Broad yorked by Edwards as Nottinghamshire slid from 151 for five to 159 for eight.

Mullaney brought up his 40th first-class fifty in 113 balls and Carter supported his captain in a vital 80-run stand for the ninth wicket before he was lbw to Edwards – who ended with figures of three for 49, with Abbott and Barker also pilfering three times.

Mullaney then reached his magnificent century in 165 with another maximum but the innings was brought to a close on 102 when he top edged a caught an bowled back to Ian Holland – Nottinghamshire bowled out for 239.

Joe Weatherley was lbw to Fletcher in a tricky six over period as Hampshire ended the day on three for one.

Earlier, Fletcher followed up his five-wicket haul against Essex with impressive figures of four for 79 – as Hampshire lost their last four wickets in 35 morning minutes.

Fletcher struck in the fourth over of the morning when Ian Holland nicked behind, before Keith Barker followed two balls later when a thicker edge found second slip.

Aneurin Donald had appeared on course to a second Specsavers County Championship half century for Hampshire when he brilliantly swatted Fletcher to the boundary.

But from the other end Broad found a slight piece of the Welshman’s bat as he departed for 46.

Hampshire were bowled out for 310 when Fidel Edwards fended to short cover – the visitors claiming four wickets in 26 balls and Fletcher three in 14 deliveries.

Day Three

Ajinkya Rahane marked his Hampshire debut with a century before Sam Northeast scored a brilliant three figures of his own as Hampshire dominated Nottinghamshire on the Isle of Wight.

Rahane became the first Indian to play for Hampshire and then just the seventh cricketer to collect a ton on his debut for the county having artfully made 119.

At the other end of a record 257-run stand for the third wicket, Northeast continued his eye-catching early season form with an almost impeccable 133.

In doing so, Northeast became the highest run-maker in either division of the Specsavers County Championship, as he collected his 511th run in the competition, and 629 in all first-class cricket this season.

Hampshire eventually declared on 367 for five with a 438-run lead, which was whittled down to 397 at close, although the visitors lost two wickets.

On another beautifully sunny day at Newclose on a freshly heavy rolled wicket, Stuart Broad dismissed Oli Soames in the second over before Northeast and Rahane took control.

Rahane, having scored 50 in 64 balls, joined a very exclusive club when he flicked expertly off his legs to reach his hundred.

Only Cecil Abercrombie, Dennis Baldry, Richard Hayward, John Crawley, Shane Watson and Andy Bichel had scored centuries on their debuts for Hampshire.

Northeast has been in exceptional form this season scoring two fifties and now two hundreds in seven innings in the County Championship, along with another three figures in the match against Oxford MCCU.

When he reached his half-century in the morning session, from 88-balls, he overtook Gary Ballance as the leading run scorer in the country.

Northeast was given a life on 81 when he rare misjudgement while cutting flew to Matt Carter at off the bowling of Jake Ball, only for the first slip to put down the catch.

Once the former Kent batsman had composed himself, and oddly changed his box, he briskly set off again towards three figures.

Northeast’s 23rd first-class hundred was brought up in 162 balls and included 11 boundaries.

Rahane had begun to be peppered by short pitch balls but having successfully negotiated the traps on the legside, left a turning delivery from Carter that ended the huge stand.

Either side of tea, Northeast began to cut loose slightly more, typified with a towering six over mid-wicket.

He continued to attack the weary visiting attack before eventually falling to Steven Mullaney.

Aneurin Donald was bowled by Mullaney soon after by a delivery which stayed low but Ian Holland and Tom Alsop, who scored a 47-ball fifty, blasted an unbroken 88-run stand in under 10 overs before Hampshire declared on 367 for five.

Nottinghamshire were given 111 overs to block out, 15 of which in the evening session, but lost both openers.

Ben Duckett was lbw to Keith Barker before Ben Slater was caught behind by Alsop.

Day Four

Hampshire kept Somerset under pressure at the top of Division One of the Specsavers County Championship as they recorded a healthy 244 run victory over Nottinghamshire on the Isle of Wight.

Hampshire’s strong seam attack of Fidel Edwards, Keith Barker and Kyle Abbott did the brunt of the work with three wickets apiece, and ended with figures of three for 37, three for 42 and three for 46.

Hampshire have won three of their opening four Championship matches this season and took 22 points from this fixture to move to within two points of early pacesetters Somerset – who they will face in the Royal London One Day Cup final at Lord’s on Saturday.

Sam Northeast's side started the day needing eight wickets for victory in a minimum of 96 overs, having dismissed both Nottinghamshire openers in a tricky 15 over spell following their declaration the previous evening.

The sun shone again at Newclose, at it had for the majority of four glorious days on the other side of the Solent, on a wicket which had increasingly flattened.

Night-watchman Matt Carter only lasted until the fifth over of the blue skied fourth day before he was lbw to Keith Barker.

Left-armer Barker almost dismissed Joe Clarke for a duck, but Kyle Abbott spilled a chance at mid-on, before Abbott found the edge of Clarke’s bat three balls later, wicketkeeper Tom Alsop completing the catch.

Chris Nash had shown plenty of fight in the morning session to reach a third Championship half century of the season.

His most sturdy partnership was with Jake Libby, with the pair blocking out 16 overs.

But 10 minutes before lunch Libby departed when Fidel Edwards bounced him and the ball ballooned up to Oli Soames at short leg.

Wickets began to flow much more freely after the interval when Nash was leg before to Abbott for 60 to the sixth ball after lunch before Tom Moores followed in identical style soon after.

Steven Mullaney was handed a life when he edged Mason Crane to Ajinkya Rahane at first slip only for the ball to slip through his grasp.

Mullaney and Luke Fletcher held up proceedings for just over half an hour before Barker clipped the Nottinghamshire captain’s off-stump.

Stuart Broad edged Edwards to Rahane at first slip before the result was ratified at 3.10pm when Mason Crane found Jake Ball’s leading edge to Aneurin Donald at cover.