GARETH Berg believes Hampshire did well to start the season by making 290 against newly-promoted Worcestershire.

The Hampshire all-rounder made a crucial 75 not out and shared a last-wicket stand of 48 with Fidel Edwards after arriving at the crease with his side 193-6 when Hashim Amla was dismissed for 36 on debut.

He said: “I think at the beginning of the day 350 would be an excellent score with it being early season, but in the end we are happy with just under 300.

“It always seems to happen that there are clusters of wickets which is easy on wickets like that with it nibbling around – there is always a ball with your name on out there.”

Captain James Vince put a disappointing winter behind him to start the season with a run-a-ball 75 after Worcestershire took advantage of the uncontested toss.

Surprisingly, Lewis McManus opened the batting with Jimmy Adams, with Amla preferring not to start his Hampshire in such bowler-friendly conditions.

Worcestershire captain Joe Leach soon found McManus’s outside edge, but Vince made batting look easy during his 49-ball fifty.

Adopting a very open stance, Jimmy Adams (33) helped put on 106 in less than 20 overs before he was deceived by a Steve Magoffin leg-cutter as he padded up.

Vince soon followed and Leach reduced Hampshire to 164-5 when he bowled Sam Northeast and Rilee Rossouw in the space of nine balls

Amla struck four fours on debut before he was lbw, at which point Berg embarked on a 69-ball fifty which included his two sixes.

Hampshire lost Kyle Abbott and Liam Dawson to successive deliveries from medium pacer Daryl Mitchell, who was 15 not out at the close, with Worcestershire 40-2, 250 in arrears