Nottinghamshire 235 (James 106*, Abbas 4-49) and 33 for 1 trail Hampshire 276 (Dawson 95, Barker 74, Stone 4-62, Pennington 3-70) by eight runs
Nottinghamshire suffered a setback when skipper Haseeb Hameed to the second ball of their second innings but ended day two on 33 for one, just eight runs in arrears.
If he can stay fit, Stone’s express pace would make him an attractive proposition as England look for a bowling reset with James Anderson about to follow Stuart Broad into retirement.
He last represented his country in two one-day internationals in South Africa at the start of last year but spent much of the 2023 domestic season sidelined by persistent hamstring problems, another frustrating episode in a career repeatedly hampered by injuries.
Nine down for 212 overnight, Nottinghamshire’s first innings limped on just long enough to fulfil the objective of seeing James safely across the line. The 25-year-old, a genuine home-grown talent, was looking for his first hundred since hitting three in his breakthrough season in 2022.
Last-wicket partner Dane Paterson almost denied him, chancing a single that may well have seen him run out on 95 had Fletcha Middleton’s throw hit the stumps with James still scrambling to make his ground.
The moment was forgotten, though, when Kyle Abbott offered up virtually a wide long-hop in the next over and James had the reach to smash it to the off-side boundary for his ninth four, making sure his five and a quarter hours at the crease were not expended on a mere ninety-something.
A fulsome swing of the bat then saw Paterson caught behind as Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 235.
Stone needed only three balls to make his first impact of the day, finding the edge of Ali Orr’s defensive bat as Hampshire went a wicket down for no runs.
Their innings almost mirrored the pattern of Nottinghamshire’s with half their wickets falling cheaply. Felix Organ, dropped off Stone at third slip on three, had added only two more Stone found the edge again and Calvin Harrison made a fine grab at second slip.
By lunch, Hampshire were 61 for three as skipper James Vince, having taken advantage of Pennington’s struggle to find his early rhythm by hitting four boundaries in one over, got himself slightly squared up against Paterson and was caught behind.
Middleton fell two overs after lunch with no addition, gloving a catch to Clark as he tried to evade a short delivery from Pennington, after which Stone returned to claim his third wicket as Ben Brown nudged one to third slip, leaving Hampshire five down for 77, still 158 behind.
Yet thereafter the afternoon turned into a tale of frustration for the home side. After surviving what remained of Stone’s second impressive spell of the day, Dawson and Barker became more expansive, Barker riding his luck on several occasions as the ball flew in unpredictable directions off different parts of the bat.
Barker took full advantage of his good fortune, twice whipping Pennington for sixes over the midwicket boundary and twice reverse sweeping Harrison’s leg-spin for four before Dawson, who had been circumspect initially, went after James with three boundaries in the same over.
The pair were parted soon after tea when Stone returned for a third spell, the England bowler angling one in from wide on the crease that beat Barker for pace, knocking back his off stump.
James Fuller helped Dawson add another 36 before an uppercut off Pennington looped to sub fielder James Hayes at wide third man, after which the innings ended relatively quickly in the absence of Prest, with Abbott leg before to Harrison and Dawson departing with a near carbon copy of Fuller’s shot as Pennington picked up his third.
Hameed was a second-ball casualty as Nottinghamshire began their second innings, edging a rashly extravagant drive to third slip off Barker, before Will Young and Ben Slater safely negotiated what remained of the 15 overs before the close.