WORCESTERSHIRE lost two wickets in reply after bowling out Hampshire for 290 on the first day of the Specsavers County Championship Division One opener.

The County moved to 40-2 from 18 overs at Southampton's Ageas Bowl with Brett D'Oliveira (1) and Tom Fell (16) departing.

Skipper Joe Leach earlier took 4-42 and the returning Steve Magoffin bagged two wickets as the visitors claimed maximum bowling points.

James Vince put a disappointing winter behind him with a stylish 75 as the hosts held a slight first-day advantage.

He scored 346 runs for England in six Tests during tours of Australia and New Zealand and early-season Championship runs were predicted to be key to cementing his spot in England’s top order.

Hampshire were unsurprisingly asked to bat in an uncontested toss with a typical April green top wicket and thick grey clouds ready to assist the seamers.

And the decision was almost immediately vindicated as Leach found the edge of Lewis McManus' bat to be caught behind by Ben Cox.

Vince then arrived and every array of the drive was pulled out with his half-century plundered off 49 balls.

Other than the odd play-and-miss, Vince offered no chances and never looked in danger of nicking to the slip cordon.

Jimmy Adams steadily accompanied Vince with an unflashy 33 but after a 106-run stand was deceived by a Magoffin leg-cutter and struck on the pads without playing a shot.

Vince, having taken his boundary tally to 14, was bowled by former Sussex seamer Magoffin four overs later.

Conditions appeared to have eased but after lunch Leach had the ball nipping around dangerously.

His accurate quick bowling beat debutant Sam Northeast for pace and the former Kent skipper drove unconvincingly for 17.

Rilee Rossouw followed in a similar fashion four overs later for a 10-ball duck with Leach again clattering into the stumps.

South Africa star Hashim Amla battled the conditions for a gutsy 36 before he was lbw to Josh Tongue.

Medium pacer Daryl Mitchell produced two wickets in as many balls to bowl Liam Dawson and pin former Worcestershire player Kyle Abbott lbw.

When Tongue hit Brad Wheal on the pads, the Hampshire innings appeared to be petering out but an unbeaten 75 from Gareth Berg handed the hosts the impetus.

Berg crashed two sixes in a partnership of 48 for the last wicket with his own fifty coming from 69 balls.

Fidel Edwards was the last wicket to fall, caught behind to give Leach his 250th first-class scalp which left the visitors 18 overs to fend off.

But the West Indian needed just four balls to make inroads into the County batting line-up as D’Oliveira looped a simple catch to Vince at mid-off.

Abbott bowled Fell with three overs left in the day.