Worcestershire Seconds bowlers gamely stuck to their task despite Hampshire Seconds opener Ben Duggan scoring an unbeaten 176 on day one of the four-day encounter at the Ageas Bowl nursery ground.
The home side were put into bat and reached 308-7 off 96 overs by the close in a game where pink balls are being used in the first innings and orange in the second as part of an ECB experiment.
New ball bowler George Scrimshaw picked up two wickets as a reward for some good spells and there was also a double strike for medium pacer Billy Cox.
Scrimshaw made an early breakthrough when Joe Weatherley edged to Ben Twohig at third slip with just eight runs on the board.
It became 44-2 as Jake Goodwin was bowled by Pat Brown.
A smart catch by Alex Milton standing up to Cox accounted for Fraser Hay after he added 58 with Duggan.
The major stand of the innings saw Duggan and Mason Crane (42) add 97 for the fourth wicket before the latter offered a return catch to Alexei Kervezee.
Duggan figured in more useful partnerships of 48 with Matt Golding and 56 with Ed Ellis but two late wickets evened matters up.
Duggan's 281 ball knock contained 24 fours.
HAMPSHIRE SECONDS – FIRST INNINGS
Weatherley c Twohig b Scrimshaw 4
Duggan not out 176
Goodwin b Brown 12
Hay c Milton b Cox 22
Crane c and b Kervezee 42
Golding b Twohig 11
Ellis b Scrimshaw 18
McIver c Fraine b Cox 2
Assani not out 0
Extras 21
Total (for 7 wickets) 308 in 96 overs
FOW: 8, 44, 102, 199, 247, 303, 306
BOWLING
Scrimshaw 21-5-56-2
Brown 15-1-63-1
Hepburn 13-4-40-0
Cox 16-2-37-2
Twohig 19-1-74-1
Kervezee 12-3-26-1
