PAUL Collingwood's decision to dispense with the toss and bowl first backfired at the Ageas Bowl.

Former Durham skipper Will Smith shared an opening stand of 111 with Jimmy Adams before the left-hander chopped Scott Borthwick's seventh ball into his stumps.

Adams departed for 53, but Smith was on 52 out of 116 for one at lunch.

Overcast conditions did not bring the expected assistance for the bowlers on an easy-paced pitch, on which Durham will have to bat last.

The fact that Hampshire have included young leg-spinner Mason Crane suggests they expect the pitch to take spin and Durham had Ryan Pringle on for the 13th over. He conceded 40 runs in eight overs before Borthwick also had a go.

In his third over Smith clipped him through mid-wicket for three to reach 50 off 80 balls. It was only his fourth half-century of the season, although he did go on to make a double hundred against Lancashire.

After being rested against Surrey last week, Chris Rushworth returned in place of Mark Wood and got past the bat a few times.

But the luckiest escape for the home owners came when Adams bottom-edged a pull off Brydon Carse and would have played on had the ball not struck his leg.