Wood stars for Hampshire

Chris Wood took four wickets in bowler-friendly conditions on the first day of Hampshire's Championship match against Northamptonshire.

Northamptonshire lost their last five wickets for just 21 runs as they collapsed to 218 all out, with their opener Stephen Peters top-scoring with 44.

Wood returned figures of four for 52 and former Zimbabwe international Sean Ervine three for 32 before Hampshire stuttered to close on 42 for three, 176 runs behind.

The visitors won the toss and chose to field and they gave Peters a reprieve in the sixth over when he was dropped on nine by Ervine at third slip off the bowling of David Balcombe.

But Balcombe was to get his reward when Rob Newton, who had plundered 39, edged him to Liam Dawson at second slip to break an opening partnership of 68.

Peters perished on 44 on the last ball before lunch when he was just about snared after an initial fumble by Hampshire's stand-in captain, Australian Simon Katich, at first slip off David Griffiths.

David Sales went for 10 in the sixth over of the afternoon when Ervine managed to hold on at third slip after he nudged a Griffiths delivery to him.

Alex Wakely made 27 before he was the next batsman back in the pavilion when his off stump was taken out by Wood.

Northamptonshire captain Andrew Hall (eight) departed in the fourth over before tea when he was well taken by Dawson at second slip to give Ervine his first wicket.

Scotland international Kyle Coetzer crawled to 41 off 137 balls before he played Wood on to his stumps in the sixth over of the evening.

A superb delivery by Ervine that clipped the off stump then accounted for Ireland wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien (10).

James Middlebrook made just a single before he was bowled by Wood and David Willey (13) hooked the same bowler to Sean Terry, who took a good catch at mid-wicket.

Northamptonshire's innings was then brought to an end when Jack Brooks went for a four-ball duck by edging Ervine to Dawson at second slip.

Hall brought himself on in the 13th over of Hampshire's reply and his second ball clattered into the off stump of Terry (12) before he also bowled Hamza Riazuddin three deliveries later.

Michael Carberry (four) then fell in the penultimate over of the day when he fended Brooks to Middlebrook at gully as the hosts fought back.