Nick Gubbins, Liam Dawson pile on the runs to keep Hampshire's hopes alive

Hampshire 373 for 4 (Gubbins 153*, Dawson 102* Vince 57) vs Worcestershire

Nick Gubbins and Liam Dawson collected their third Vitality County Championship centuries of the season as Hampshire piled on the runs during the opening day of their clash with Worcestershire.

Left-handed batter Gubbins demonstrated immense control in his 153 to pass his highest score for Hampshire - after arriving from Middlesex in 2021.

He put on 129 with half-century maker James Vince and Dawson - who also passed 10,000 first-class runs.

Hampshire are mathematically still in the title race - starting the round 27 points adrift of Surrey - and ended the day on 373 for four.

Vince chose to bat first on a pitch previously used earlier in May for the victory over Surrey, with Felix Organ's inclusion suggesting hope of spin being prevalent throughout the four days.

But the hopes of a solid platform to build from were not helped by both openers departing before the end of the sixth over, as Tom Taylor enjoyed the new ball.

Fletcha Middleton was his first victim with a beautiful delivery that shaped to swing in but nipped away to clean bowl the batter.

Toby Albert followed when he pushed to first slip, the ball after he had been forced to change his bat after Taylor had chipped the shoulder with some extra bounce.

Worcestershire's early cheer was dulled as Vince and Gubbins bedded in with their huge experience.

Gubbins was the unlikely aggressor of the pair with cuts off Logan van Beek his favoured method of scoring quick runs.

But neither he nor Vince were able to freely score against a regimentally disciplined attack, with hard graft keeping the scoreboard ticking.

The 129-run stand with Vince ended in strange and controversial style.

Vince attempted a big sweep against Amar Virdi but missed the ball. As everyone's eyes followed the ball skid off towards the fine leg boundary, Worcestershire had started celebrating. A bail had been dislodged.

The umpires conferred as Vince remained unmoved - thinking it had been broken by the wicketkeeper's glove or arm - but ultimately he was given out bowled.

There was no question about Virdi's second scalp as Ben Brown tried to give himself room but only thinly edged to opposing wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick.

As with earlier in the day, two wickets in quick succession only began a long batting partnership - this time Gubbins found Dawson to stay with him.

Dawson was dismissive with a quartet of early boundaries and took himself past 10,000 red-ball runs on his 202nd appearance.

Worcestershire remained tight in their bowling but couldn't find another breakthrough, although they dropped Dawson when he was on 62.

Gubbins reached his century in 198 deliveries before Dawson skipped through the 90s with a pulled six and cover-driven four to reach three figures for the 17th time in his career.