Northants frustrated as Hampshire dig in on day one at Ageas Bowl

Organ put on half-century stands with Joe Weatherley and Nick Gubbins on a tricky wicket to take Hampshire to 229 for five at close – with Jack White claiming two for 35.

Organ started the season batting at No.7, in the team predominantly for his off-spin option in the fourth innings.

But after Weatherley damaged his finger in the slips against Lancashire, he was promoted to open – his more familiar position – and immediately made an impact with a century.

He slumped with a lean spell but arrived in this match averaging 46 in his previous seven innings.

Having been put in by Will Young on a green-tinged wicket and seen his opening partner Ian Holland edge to second slip to the first ball he faced, Organ faced a great deal of pressure.

But the 23-year-old was compact with the ball nipping around, with Ben Sanderson particularly finding good subtle movement to find the outside edge of Weatherley’s bat to again find Emilio Gay at second slip.

Weatherley had been involved in an off moment with umpires David Millns and Steve O’Shaughnessy blaming some scuffing on the ball on the sponsor’s sticker on his bat. After a short dialogue, they decided to rip the logo off the shoulder of the bat.

Organ set up deep in his crease with an off-stump guard, and knew exactly where his stumps were, even if there were regular plays and misses from either end either side of the early lunch – with rain and bad light eventually lobbing 34 overs off the day.

He particularly peppered the off side although his fifty came up with a sumptuous straight drive off 88 balls.

With him, Gubbins and James Vince showed moments of their carefree nature but failed to capitalise on solid starts.

Luke Procter entered the attack, got cut for four by Gubbins but found movement in off the seam to bowl the left-hander for 23, while Vince was caught behind for 19.

Organ eventually departed when he failed to move his feet to White and feathered off the under-toe of the bat to Ricardo Vasconcelos.

But Liam Dawson and Aneurin Donald, unbeaten on 43 and 29, briskly put on 62 unbeaten runs, with the latter often showing glamour with his driving ability before the light worsened to end play just after 6pm.