A middle order collapse has put Notts' County Championship hopes in the balance in their clash with Hampshire at Trent Bridge.

Needing a win to secure their second title in four years, the host surrendered a strong position after being bowled out for 211 in their first innings immediately before tea.

Notts were coasting along at 172-3 after Samit Patel and Ashwell Prince put on 116 for the fourth wicket and looked set for a big lead.

But Patel's dismissal for 70 sparked a tumble of seven wickets for just 39 runs, which has altered the entire complexion of the match.

It was James Tomlinson – the leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket this season – who started the decline when he caught Patel in two minds and the batsman drove in the air to Chris Tremlett at extra cover.

But it was leg-spinner Imran Tahir who was the most devastating, transforming poor figures to excellent ones with 4-9 off 24 balls.

He first undid Graeme Swann (9) with a delivery that bounced significantly and Nic Pothas took the catch behind.

Tomlinson briefly intervened to take his third wicket of the innings as he had the driving Chris Read (5) caught at first slip by Michael Lumb.

But Tahir was soon in the groove as he trapped Mark Ealham lbw for a duck with a quicker, flatter ball and from his next delivery he bowled Andre Adams with a googly.

Another wrong-un accounted for Darren Pattinson, also without scoring, to leave Notts on 197-9 and still shy of a batting point.

At the other end, overseas batsman Ashwell Prince watched the carnage unfold after dropped on 21 by Michael Carberry and being caught off a no-ball on 25 by Chris Tremlett.

The onus was on him to at least get Notts past 200 as Tomlinson bowled to him.

But it looked as if the South African would be out as he tried to pull over the top, only for Tremlett, running back, to grass the catch and knock it over the boundary rope.

That brought a cheer from the previously stunned home crowd as the team collected a bonus point.

Prince then struck a majestic six to move to fifty and take Notts into the lead.

But that was stretched to just eight before he holed out to Carberry off Tomlinson, having accumulated 57.