MICHAEL Bates was given a warm welcome on his return to The Ageas Bowl - before hitting successive fours as Somerset enjoyed the better of day one.

The former Hampshire wicketkeeper, released at the end of last season, finished the first day of his LV County Championship debut for Somerset on eight not out as his new county reached stumps on 310-6.

Batting at number eight, he was given a warm reception when he came out to bat with five overs remaining.

Bates promptly hit James Tomlinson for successive fours, cut backward of point and clipped through the on side. He will begin day two on eight (12 balls), with Lewis Gregory.

Tomlinson had trapped James Hildreth (76) lbw in his previous over, the left-arm seamer’s first wicket for six weeks.

He was unfortunate to have the former England Lions batsman dropped by Liam Dawson at second slip on 12, but Hampshire fought back well after an opening stand of 92 between Tom Abell (88) and Marcus Trescothick (53).

Trescothick was given a lifeline on 30, when Dawson put down a tough chance at second slip off Gareth Berg.

After the Somerset captain played round a Berg in-swinger, Abell put on 50 with former Hampshire batsman Johann Myburgh – before he was bowled by a beauty from Liam Dawson.

Myburgh became Jackson Bird’s first victim at the Ageas Bowl when he chipped to cover point before Jim Allenby was brilliantly snaffled by short-leg Sean Terry - whose dad Paul, the former manager, was in the crowd - to give Dawson his second wicket.

Bird impressed with the ball on his first Championship outing at the Ageas Bowl.

The Australian looked especially threatening with the second new ball with which he had Hildreth playing and missing before striking the former England Lions batsman on the head.

Peter Trego made a slow 21 before he was clean bowled by a Sean Ervine off- cutter.

Hampshire bowling: Tomlinson 14-2-63-1, Bird 22-6-58-1, Berg 20-5-45-1, Ervine 9-4-25-1, Briggs 13-4-39-0, Dawson 18-3-59-2.