Liam Dawson: Boring cricket as new format failed to spark

He felt the team had to really dig their heels in on day one to make it difficult for the visitors to take wickets.

Hampshire eventually declared on a modest 211 for nine before bowling six overs at Somerset – who reached 18 without loss.

Dawson said: ‘If you look at the score we were 80 for none but we didn’t score quickly.

‘If you are prepared to be quite boring I think that is what we are going to have to do. We are short of runs.

‘It is the sort of wicket you can be boring and take the game deep.

‘The crowds haven’t changed, we haven’t had any more people in.

‘It is early days and it is something that might work.

‘From my first experience of it, I think they need to have a good look at what balls they are going to use.

‘If you are going to keep on using those balls then you are going to get some pretty boring cricket.

‘It was fine to see it just goes very soft, very quickly.

‘We are behind the game but this is a new game for everyone and if we get a few quick wickets then who knows what will happen.’

Somerset fast bowler Lewis Gregory took three wickets as the visitors enjoyed the better of the opening day.

Gregory, along with his fellow attack bowlers Craig Overton, Tim Groenewald and Jack Leach, who celebrated two wickets a piece, seemed to enjoy bowling with the pink ball – which failed to offer any great assistance for much of the day.

The quartet battled through a seemingly flat track, which seemed to grow livelier in the evening and night sessions.

Only a promising partnership between Dawson (53) and Jimmy Adams (47) and James Vince’s 47 handed the hosts any positives during the start of day night Championship cricket.

Hampshire had won the toss and elected to bat in the warm afternoon sun with a wicket appearing primed for high-scoring batting.

Adams and Dawson scored 10 of the day’s 19 boundaries between them as they started well enough.

They reached 74 for lunch, with just Adams dropped at first slip by James Hildreth off Leach the only blip.

But Somerset will be pleased with their work from there on as Hampshire fell from 84 without loss to 132 for four.

The collapse continued until Kyle Abbott secured a batting point and Bailey decided to declare for a short burst at the Somerset batting.

But Marcus Trescothick and Zimbabwean debutant Edward Byrom saw out the remaining overs under the floodlights.