50 for Zafar Gohar and first batting pointpublished at 16:33 BST 17 April

16:33 BST 17 April

Northants v Middlesex 250-6

Image source, Shutterstock

A splendid knock from the Pakistan bowler who is straight into his stride after the tea break, takign three off the first ball from Calvin Harrison and then scampers a single off Harry Conway.

It's the 16th fifty of his first-class career, coming at a decent lick off 79 balls, with four boundaries and a six.

They're important runs, too, putting Middlesex into an increasingly strong position.

He came to the crease with his side struggling on 164-6.

It also brings up the first batting point for Middlesex in the 66th over and they look in good shape for more this evening.

Tom Lammonby plays with soft hands and runs the ball down to the third man boundary.

Lammonby (14 not out) has settled now after he was given an uncomfortable introduction to the crease by Hampshire's Kyle Abbott.

Somerset have motored onto 19-1 after their first five overs.

Leg-spinner Calvin Harrison gets us under way in the final session of an intriguing day one.

Landmarks could soon be raining down with two batters approaching fifty and a batting point just four runs away.

Archie Vaughan picks this up really nicely.

Too short from Codi Yusuf and Vaughan swats it away into the leg side for four lovely runs.

Kyle Abbott is bowling beautifully right now and Tom Lammonby edges one but it drops short of the slip cordon.

11 wickets have fallen so far today at the Utilita Bowl and you wouldn't bet against there being a few more before the day is out.

Big appeal and Kyle Abbott thinks he's got Tom Lammonby caught behind.

It's a good take down the leg side by Ben Brown, who is up too, but the umpire shakes his head.

Lammonby survives for now.

First runs for Somerset.

Codi Yusuf is too straight this time and Tom Lammonby flicks one off his pads down to fine leg for four.

Anthony Gibson
BBC Radio Somerset

Unless we've completely misjudged this pitch I think to bowl Hampshire out for 238 leaves Somerset quite well ahead in the game because they didn't do a huge amount this morning and it seemed to get a bit easier in the afternoon.

Those innings of Eddie Jack and Kyle Abbott rather put the earlier Hampshire batting unit in a not very favourable perspective because they made batting look pretty straight forward but we will see.

Kyle Abbott's first over is a maiden as Archie Vaughan deals well with the last delivery which stayed low on him.

Abbott will be backed up at the other end by Codi Yusuf.

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London commentator

Image source, Shutterstock

Middlesex's fightback from 20-3, having won the toss, continues as Joe Cracknell and Zafar Gohar frustrated the hosts mightily in the afternoon session.

With Ben Geddes out after bringing up his 50, much like his skipper moments before lunch, Northamptonshire would have had high hopes of getting back the strangleholds they had at the start of the Middlesex innings.

The pitch appears of good pace, strikingly so from the off, and should Middlesex continue this recovery then they will have hopes that their decision to bat first, presumably to give spinner Gohar the fourth innings on this track, will be fully justified.

We are back under way for the final session on day one at the Utilita Bowl.

Hampshire's Kyle Abbott will bowl the first delivery to Archie Vaughan.

Division One

Southampton: Hampshire 238 (59.1 overs) v Somerset

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 113-7 (35.4 overs) v Essex

Division Two

Bristol: Gloucestershire 124-6 (44 overs) v Lancashire

Northampton: Northamptionshire v Middlesex 246-6 (64 overs)

The slow left arm of Saif Zaib to end the afternoon session

A very good session for the visitors who have added 140 runs for just the loss of Ben Geddes and Ryan Higgins.

Zafar Gohar and Joe Cracknell have added an unbroken 82-run stand to move Middlesex within four runs of their first batting point.

Gohar has batted really well to reach 46 off 76 balls, while Cracknell is unbeaten on 44 from 86.

Spin at both ends as Calvin Harrison continues.

He's at full-stretch now to try and take a return catch off Joe Cracknell, diving to his right but can't cling on. Super effort.

But he follows this with a rank drag down which Cracknell pulls for four.

Cracknell then cuts for a second boundary of the over to overtake his partner on 43.

With that final wicket, tea is now being taken at the Utilita Bowl.

It was a disappointing first innings by the home side who had won the toss and decided to bat first.

Jake Lehmann top scored with 76 but Hampshire's top order was decimated by Somerset captain Lewis Gregory and vice captain Craig Overton, who grabbed three wickets each.

The Division One league leaders will look to put the foot down and make their good work in the field count on day one in the final session.

Northants bring Saif Zaib intio their attack to try and break what is becoming an ominous stand.

His third ball is a bit of a drag down but he gets away with it as Joe Cracknell is limited to a single. Other than that, five dots.

Michael Carberry
Former England batter

Jake Lehmann was just having a bit of a swing, not really any shape.

Not sure if he's convinced he's hit it but the umpire is and that's a disappointing return for Hampshire I would say overall but credit to Jake Lehmann.

Without his runs, you feel they would be deeper in the mire.

Now they've got to switch their attention to bowling. They've got to make 238 enough somehow.

Zafar Gohar moves into the forties with another super shot.

He uses the pace and bounce of James Sals and uppercuts it over the slips. It lands just inside the boundary rope for his third boundary.

He's eight shy of a splendid half-century, and Middlesex are closing in on a first batting point.

And that's the end of the innings - Hampshire have been bowled out by Somerset for 238 inside 60 overs.

The final wicket is another soft one as far as the hosts are concerned.

Jake Lehmann - the pick of Hampshire's batsmen once again today - looks to go over long on but instead feathers one behind to James Rew who makes his fourth catch of the innings.

Tea will immediately be taken.