IN the razzmatazz world of 21st century cricket, it is refreshing to see that at least some old-fashioned virtues still have their place.

The advent of Twenty20 means slower balls and yorkers, reverse paddles and slog sweeps are all the rage in the first-class game.

But it was the simple formula of line, length and patience that ensured title-chasing Notts ended the first day of their crucial clash with Hampshire on top.

Needing a victory of any kind to seal their second County Championship success in four years, Mick Newell's men have just about got one quarter of the job done by taking all but the final visiting wicket.

But had they had a less resilient attack to call on, then things could have turned out differently.

Notts must have been in a quandary about whether to bat or field on winning the toss – simply because it has been so difficult to predict what is going to happen at Trent Bridge.

Generally the pitches have made for low-scoring matches because of the movement both off the surface and in the air.

But in this case it became clear from early on that the assistance on offer was not as great as that seen previously.

In the first 40 minutes, Charlie Shreck and Darren Pattinson struggled to make any kind of impact and Hampshire had raced along to 46-0 with a degree of comfort, meaning skipper Chris Read could have come to regret his decision to bowl.

Notts, though, did not panic, used their experience and fought their way back into the contest by strangling their opposition.

Given little in the way of width from first-change bowlers Mark Ealham and Andre Adams, the frustration from the Hampshire batsman was tangible and the wickets soon began to tumble.

Four went before lunch with Ealham making the breakthrough as Michael Brown chased a wide one, Andre Adams snared Michael Lumb and Chris Benham lbw and Shreck returned to capture the wicket of Michael Carberry with a lifter.

Notts' ability to assess the game and adapt accordingly has been one of their biggest strengths all season. If one bowler has been unable to make serious headway, then another player, be it seamer or spinner, has usually found the route to success.

But just as important has been their ability to nip out players at key moments – and that was again evident yesterday.

Nic Pothas looked in ominous form and appeared determined to anchor his side to a score well in excess of 250, especially when he and the dangerous Dmitri Mascarenhas came together to forge a seventh-wicket stand of 55.

But just as things began to get away from Notts a little, up stepped Darren Pattinson to bowl Pothas via an inside edge.

There could have been a problem when Mascarenhas, running out of partners towards the close, decided to take the attack to Notts.

But Shreck, making full use of the second new ball taken after 80 overs, came back from being struck for two boundaries to pick up the former England one-day international for 41.

The Cornishman eventually finished with three wickets, as did Pattinson, who now needs just one more to complete 50 for the first-class season, if his two on England Test duty are counted.

The biggest disappointment was that Notts did not have time to finish off their opponents as bad light brought an early end to play.

Almost immediately after Hampshire had gone nine down, the umpires were in consultation as to whether to leave the field.

In order to stave off that course of action, Read brought on spinners, Graeme Swann and Samit Patel.

But against Imran Tahir (23 not out), who was keen to have a go, it was far from ideal.

The Pakistani spinner took full advantage of a fired-up Shreck being pulled off the attack, and the pace taken off the ball, to take Hampshire within sight of a first batting point before the darkness descended.

Regardless of whether they get that today, Notts are more concerned with how they fare with the bat.

With title rivals Durham and Somerset looking likely to be involved in decisive games elsewhere, Newell's side know they will need to do the business in this one.

The best way to do that will be to put a big first innings lead on the board, just as they did down at Surrey last week.

That will not be easy against the likes of spinner Tahir, prolific paceman James Tomlinson, Chris Tremlett and Mascarenhas.

But with the prestigious four-day title up for grabs, they could have no bigger incentive to succeed.