Kyle Abbot puts Hampshire in control of County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire

Kyle Abbott strengthened Hampshire's title ambitions with a six-wicket burst on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Welbeck Cricket Club.

The former South Africa international returned figures of 6-37 from his 14 overs as Nottinghamshire were bundled out for just 162 in only 60.2 overs.

Steven Mullaney batted for almost three hours for the home side, making 45 from 114 deliveries, before Hampshire - second in the table at the start of play - closed on 93-2, with Joe Weatherley unbeaten on 47.

Notts opener Ben Slater inside-edged Hampshire seamer Keith Barker onto his stumps from the third ball of the match without a run on the board.

Only 17.1 overs were bowled before a heavy shower halted play with Nottinghamshire on 54-3 - Chris Nash (6) and Joe Clarke (6) also out.

Ben Duckett (22), Samit Patel (24) and Tom Moores (6) were the next to go before Mullaney and James Pattinson (22) put on 51 for the seventh wicket.

However, once Australian Pattinson had been bowled by Abbott, the home side slid from 156-6 to 162 all out, with Abbott dismissing Luke Wood and Luke Fletcher in the same over.

Nottinghamshire got the early boost they were hoping for as Oli Soames (2) nicked Fletcher to slip.

Weatherley and Ajinkya Rahane combined to frustrate Notts over the closing two hours, adding 80 together, the highest stand of the day.

Jake Ball, playing on his home club ground, was particularly unlucky, twice having Weatherley put down in the slip cordon before he found a willing catcher in Mullaney, to send back Rahane for 34.