Lyndon James made an unbeaten 92 as he helped Nottinghamshire recover from 50-6 to reach 212-9 on day one of their County Championship match against Hampshire at Trent Bridge.

Mohammad Abbas was the scourge of the hosts with 4-36, but Hampshire may yet rue dropped catches.

James was dropped on 23 and 32 as Hampshire’s slip fielders suffered a day of contrasting fortunes, holding all three chances offered in the morning session but putting down three in the afternoon and another after tea.

Nottinghamshire found themselves two down before they had scored a run as Abbas struck in the second and third overs of a new ball spell in which he did not concede a run until his 35th delivery.

Abbas had Ben Slater caught behind with a ball that nipped away late and dismissed Will Young with one that squared up the New Zealander and took the shoulder of the bat, looping to backward point.

The home side were 17-3 when Joe Clarke edged to third slip off Kyle Abbott and 37-4 when Keith Barker found some extra bounce and had Haseeb Hameed caught behind.

James Fuller uprooted Tom Moores’ leg stump with a big inswinger before Abbas returned to grab a third scalp as Jack Haynes slashed at a ball outside off stump and was caught at first slip by a tumbling Tom Prest.

Calvin Harrison and James rode their luck as they fashioned a recovery by adding 69, with Harrison dropped on nine.

Liam Dawson’s left-arm spin parted the seventh-wicket pair, Harrison bowled for 25 by a ball that skidded through low.

Olly Stone was also dropped on nine, while James dug in to reach his half-century off 135 balls.

The pair added 59 before a slip catch finally stuck, Dawson holding on to a nick from Stone (24) as Abbas claimed his fourth victim, and the day closed with Dillon Pennington lbw to Abbott.