Jimmy Adams led by example to help Hampshire reach 295 for five on the first day of their LV= County Championship Division One match against Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl today.

The captain scored his second half-century in three days with a patient 61, while there were also decent contributions from Michael Carberry (67) and Will Smith, who made sure of back-to-back Championship fifties in moving to an unbeaten 52 from the final ball of the day.

Middlesex failed to take advantage of excellent fast bowling conditions after winning the toss - although there was an argument that the ball was swinging around too much.

The away side almost made the perfect start in the third over but Toby Roland-Jones failed to hit the stumps with a relatively simple run-out chance - as Adams was yards short of making his ground.

Under overcast skies their were constant 'oohs' and 'aahs' from behind the wicket but Adams and opening partner Liam Dawson navigated the bowler-friendly environment with relative ease.

Dawson dodged a close leg before wicket call as Steven Finn rapped him on the pads with a low delivery - but the pair made a timely half-century stand, which represented a successful opening hour in testing conditions.

After putting on 85 for the first wicket, Dawson - who passed 4,500 career first class runs - pushed behind after doing the hard work to see off the new ball, for 36.

Opener Adams, who missed last week's defeat at Yorkshire for the birth of his second son, struck an unbeaten half-century in Friday night's T20 Blast victory against Essex - Hampshire's first victory of the season.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Michael Carberry on his way to a half century today. Pic by Neil Marshall.

The new father has also past the milestone in his last two Championship matches and he reached 50 again with a quickly run two, brought up after 122 deliveries.

Adams and former opening partner Carberry added 75 with some blistering hitting and wayward bowling.

Fast bowler James Harris is the country's leading wicket taker with 29 wickets in the first month of the season and he looked shaky early on, his first spell of three overs were effortlessly despatched for 28.

But he managed to produce a beauty to york the century-hunting Adams, who fell for a 150-ball 61.

Last season's Division Two top run-scorer James Vince has made a habit of finding cheap ways to get out in 2015, and after getting another start of 27, he weakly swished across the line to deep mid-on.

Carberry, who missed out on a maiden ton for the season last week by only three runs, looked in top nick again as he reached his half-century in 99 deliveries.

Carberry frustratingly edged behind to give Harris his second wicket of a mixed day, before Adam Wheater came and went after an unmemorable and scrappy knock.

Smith was another batsman who completed a half-century at Headingley and he reached an unassuming accumulation of 52 not out, his 50 coming from 123 balls.

However, with heavy rain forecast for the remainder of the match, a first win back in Division One may prove elusive for Hampshire, despite this encouraging start.

Middlesex's Dexter said: "I don't think we have bowled badly at all. Finny beat the bat a few times but saying that there weren't enough consecutive balls in the right area.

"It's one of those wickets where if you bowl in the right areas you will take wickets but if you don't it's hard to control the runs.

"We went too short and then went too full and we didn't bowl in partnerships which let us down.

"We are still in it and we fought back well towards the end and strung some overs together and it shows that when you do that the pressure comes with the wickets."

Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein said: "When you are put in it is always to good to come in after scoring 300, you know had a good day.

"It was very tricky conditions. Daws only got 30 odd but there are good 30s and bad 30s and that was a good one - I though he batted unbelievably well.

"The platform him and Jimmy set helps the rest of the order. Every run in this first innings is like gold in these conditions."