HAMPSHIRE are intending to sign Fidel Edwards earlier than planned to replace the injured Jackson Bird.

Overseas signing Bird, who saw a consultant on Friday, is returning to Australia without playing a first-class match due to a neck injury that is worse than Hampshire originally thought.

Edwards will now arrive next week - three months earlier than planned - with a view to making his debut against county champions Yorkshire at Headingley on May 10.

“Jackson has a bulging disc in his neck, which is something they hadn’t picked up on, and we’re not sure how long he’s out,” explained Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein.

“We’ve got Fidel coming next week, he isn’t doing anything at the moment so he’ll be here next week and have ten days to get ready for Yorkshire.

“A strike bowler would make a big difference and Fidel’s desperate to do well and have a longer- term contract.”

Edwards, 33, is due to play at the Caribbean Premier League from June 20 to July 26.

But he could play in four Championship matches before then as well as another five in the second half of the season.

And as Edwards is a Kolpak signing, Hampshire still have the option of bringing in an overseas replacement for Bird, with Yasir Arafat preferring his role as a limited-overs specialist.

“Jackson could still come back for the last half of the season but we’re looking at other [overseas] options,” continued Benkenstein.

“The problem is a lot of players are at the IPL. [Nathan] Coulter-Nile was one who said he wants a rest for various reasons. It’s a real pain, you try and plan for everything but it doesn’t always work out how you want.”

Hampshire certainly missed a strike bowler on the first day of their latest LV County Championship match against Nottinghamshire, who closed on 301-6 after losing the toss.

Alex Hales ensconced himself at the top of the first-class run charts with a magnificent 136 not out, with Hampshire’s seam quartet failing to take a wicket between them until Notts were 145-1 in the 58th over.

It took a wide Sean Ervine delivery - the Zimbabwean’s 200th first-class wicket for Hampshire – to end Hales’ 84-run stand with Steven Mullaney (66), who was well caught by a diving Adam Wheater after top edging an attempted cut.

Much of the morning session was played under floodlights, but it was the slow left-arm of Danny Briggs that made the first breakthrough.

Hampshire’s spinners bowled 24 overs between them and Liam Dawson also struck early, with his second delivery in the first over after tea, when James Taylor gloved an attempted sweep.

Dawson then took two catches at second slip as Andre Adams and Gareth Berg accounted for Samit Patel and Riki Wessells in similar fashion. The Hampshire new boys combined to account for Notts captain Chris Read, who top edged to mid-wicket.

But Benkenstein admitted the visitors had the better of the opening day, after Hampshire had won what was a good toss to lose.

“We would have definitely batted if there was sun around but there was enough in the wicket, although it was a little slow, to have bowled them out for under 300,” he said.

“But Hales batted very well and although we bowled well in patches we didn’t put the ball in the right areas for long enough, which is something we’ve done very well until today.”