James Vince misses chances to impress but Jimmy Adams digs in

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Hampshire 154 for 2 (Adams 57*) v Essex
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Hampshire captain James Vince failed to capitalise on a good start in front of England selector Ed Smith, but Jimmy Adams scored a watchful half-century on another truncated day against Essex. Vince batted with maturity on a testing wicket to reach 47, while Adams dropped anchor for the 73rd first-class fifty of his career in the 45 overs of play before bad light brought an early close.

New National Selector Smith was in attendance at the Ageas Bowl, with Alastair Cook, Jamie Porter, Tom Westley, Liam Dawson and Vince the most likely players to be under the spotlight. But Porter and Vince were the only two candidates able to show off their skills in front of the former Kent and Middlesex man.

Fast bowler Porter took 75 wickets to help Essex to the Division One title in 2017, and began the new season with nine wickets against Lancashire last week. But he was out-bowled by canny Australian Peter Siddle - who managed to find more movement and bounce than his fellow seamers - as Porter went wicketless for 47 runs.

Siddle had Joe Weatherley caught at third slip by Nick Browne, who had dropped the batsman the previous delivery, to end the opening stand at 54.

Thick slate coloured clouds, along with the floodlights, made it good bowling conditions, but Adams and Vince nullified any Essex advantage with sensible and patient batting. Vince in particular seemed to have Smith's presence in mind as he moved away from his trademark drives to knuckle down for almost two hours.

There was still the opportunity to show off a few flourishes as he looked for early season runs to cement his place in the Test team, with extravagant pull shots played with high skill but very little risk. But just when he appeared in his comfort zone, offspinner Simon Harmer found extra bounce as Vince attempted to cut, with James Foster completing a smart catch.

Adams is likely to retire at the end of the season, insisting only a bucketful of runs could persuade him to carry on. Having already smashed 182 not out against Cardiff MCCU, he again looked in good touch. Unbeaten on 19 overnight, he appeared unlikely to be hauled away from the crease as he left and defended with experience. He took 138 balls to reach his half-century and was left 57 not out when the bad light prevented any more action shortly before tea.

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Adams grinds down Essex in rain-wrecked affair

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Hampshire 241 for 4 (Adams 87) v Essex
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Jimmy Adams missed out on his first Specsavers County Championship century of the season as bad light frustrated both Hampshire and Essex at the Ageas Bowl.

Opening batsman Adams began his innings at 11.30am on the first day and reached a slow-paced 87 runs before he was finally dismissed at 3.10pm on the third day.

"It was a hard slog," he said. "I wouldn't teach my kids to bat like me."

But overcast conditions created light issues for the second day in a row to allowed only 28 overs to be bowled on Sunday - meaning 135 overs had been lost to bad light in the match, in addition to 81 overs to rain.

Adams and Hashim Amla had batted wonderfully during the morning session, having returned on 57 and eight respectively overnight.

Batting was again tricky, despite the older ball, with dark clouds hanging over the ground with the floodlights turned on throughout the day.

South African star Amla provided the shot making, while Adams dropped anchor as he took 20 minutes to get odd the mark for the day.

Amla scored his first Hampshire half century at the Kia Oval last week against Surrey and continued in his usual classy style to record another milestone - coming off 80 chanceless deliveries.

Meanwhile, Adams was enjoying a battle with fast bowler Jamie Porter - with balls regularly speeding past the outside edge.

Porter managed to find the 37-year-old's edge, when on 62, but Alastair Cook spilled the regulation chance at first slip -before the morning action was curtailed to just 23.2 overs.

Play eventually recommenced at 2.45pm, just two overs into the new ball.

And the fresh ball worked wonders for Porter and Peter Siddle as Amla fell to the latter in the first full over following the return to the wicket.

Australian Siddle set-up his fellow overseas, with shrewd swing bowling, as he found exaggerated movement in both directions, before catching the outside of the bat before wicketkeeper James Foster completed the catch off the last ball of the over.

Amla departing for a well-made 52, with the wicket ending a 93-run partnership for the third wicket.

Porter then managed to end Jimmy Adams' 264-ball, and almost six hour, stay at the crease with an angled delivery coming around the wicket to pin the left-hander lbw, for a patient 87.

The half an hour mini-session earned Essex an impressive analysis of 18 for two in 29 balls but that was all the action possible after 3.15pm.

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