Day 1 Updates: Hampshire CCC v Middlesex CCC

Voges, who has earlier elected to bowl without a toss, was struck on the back of the head by a ball lobbed by sub Ollie Rayner and missed by wicketkeeper John Simpson, after Carberry had hit one of his 14 boundaries.

The Australian fell straight to the floor before being helped off the pitch by two physios – and was subsequently taken to hospital with suspected concussion and will not make another appearance in this game.

Batsman Carberry looked in fine fettle from the start, especially cracking full balls straight down the ground – after starting the season with disappointing innings of three, 18 and 19.

He reached 50 in 114 balls, before continuing in similar style, timing the ball superbly, and celebrated reaching three figure from 184 deliveries with a crisp back foot shot through extra cover.

Carberry had seen three teammates come and go during his vigil.

Firstly Jimmy Adams, on his first outing of the season after an ankle injury suffered while ducking a ball in the nets in pre-season, edged to Nick Compton at second slip in the sixth over.

His captain James Vince appeared as graceful as ever, showcasing a glorious cover drive on a number of occasions before he was well caught by Voges at first slip for 25.

Will Smith also clipped through to the slip cordon, before Liam Dawson came to the crease to begin a 100 run partnership with Carberry.

The former England Test opener reached his ton but departed soon after, as James Harris collected his 350th first-class wicket.

But Dawson carried on the reigns waiting for bad balls in a watchful knock – the type which showed a different side to his often exuberant game and alerts selectors to your presence – with Angus Fraser watching on.

Dawson, one of Hampshire’s walking wounded at Yorkshire a fortnight ago, is unlikely to bowl due to an abdominal strain but was at ease with a bat in his hand – moving past his 50 in 117 balls.

Adam Wheater held up the other end with a patient 25 from 47 balls, before he was victim to Tim Murtagh’s second wicket of the day, not getting far enough forward to a leg before. Before Ryan McClaren fell in a similar vain to Toby Roland-Jones.

Chris Wood continued the flurry of late wickets with two overs left in the day, another lbw casualty, before Dawson closed out the day on 87 not out – Hampshire on 315 for seven.

Managing Director of Cricket, Angus Fraser commented...

“The feeling from the physio Peter Waxman is that it is a concussion but that will be shown up later.

“It was a freak injury of such but you wonder why a cricket ball which gets thrown around the field as much as it does it doesn’t happen as often. A cricket ball is a hard thing.

“It is sad for Adam and disappointing for us as we will have no more use out of him in this match.

“He wasn’t feeling very well in the dressing room so we decided to get him to the hospital to get him checked over. As of now (6:30pm) they are still sitting in there.

“He wants to remain here even if he can’t play.

“It was a frustrating day. We bowled well in patches but didn’t bowl well for long enough.

“It was a bright morning and Adam was keen to bowl but it felt like a batting day but the ball has done enough to justify bowling first we just didn’t bowl well enough.

“Carberry played very well in the morning session and Liam Dawson has done well as the day went on so it was nice to get some evening wickets – but it would have been nice to put Hampshire under pressure earlier in the day.”

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Carberry looked in tremendous knick, perfecting the straight drive on a number of occasions as he picked off the bad balls, and looks set to reach his first 50 of the season in the afternoon.

James Vince, who is aiming for a Test cap this summer, also batted in fine fettle under blue skies – with the cover drive being his pièce de résistance in a brisk 25.

But he succumbed to Toby Roland-Jones when he went hard at yet another ball outside the off stump, caught in the slips by Adam Voges.