John Crawley hit a first Championship century for more than two years, and only his second since moving to Hampshire, to put Shane Warne's men in charge of the County Championship second division promotion battle at Trent Bridge.

The former England right-hander was supported superbly yesterday by Australian batsman Michael Clarke, who hit his ninth first-class century and his first in England in a total of 375 for two against the table-topping hosts.

Hants had only managed 312 runs in two completed innings when they were caned inside two days by Notts at the Rose Bowl in early June!

Clarke brought up three figures from only 118 balls, hitting 14 fours along the way, and, resuming on 130, needed just five more runs for his career-best score today.

Crawley's knock was much more patient but also chanceless as he remained at the wicket for all but three balls of an abbreviated first day to finish unbeaten on 154 at the close.

The 32-year-old's only previous three-figure championship innings for Hampshire came in April 2002 when he made 272 on his debut at Canterbury. Since then, 60 first class knocks had produced 17 half-centuries but no ton.

Following a delayed start, Crawley eased his way in on a wicket showing signs of early moisture and life, and then unleashed his trademark drives once the strip had dried into a batsman's paradise.

That the game got under way at noon was close to miraculous considering that a storm had deposited 32mm of rain on the ground in two hours on the previous evening.

But following some superb work by the groundstaff, Nottinghamshire, who were responsible for Hampshire's only championship defeat to date this summer, made the perfect start as they chased their sixth successive second division win.

Opening bowler Charlie Shreck hit the desired spot with only his third delivery, before a run had been scored, and Derek Kenway obliged by edging the ball to Chris Read behind the stumps.

Shreck continued to plug away without reward, as did opening partner Ryan Sidebottom who was desperately unlucky not to have claimed a wicket from a burst of eight excellent overs that yielded only 10 runs.

By lunch 22 overs had been bowled and Hampshire had limped to 59 for one with Crawley restricted and his partner, Michael Brown, looking seriously short of form.

But Hampshire assumed command from the moment the second session got under way.

Brown returned to greet the introduction of leg spinner Stuart MacGill with a flurry of boundaries and brought up his 50 from 83 balls.

He hit nine fours and a six in his half century and had progressed to 74, adding 153 with Crawley, when Sidebottom produced a brute of a ball and Read pouched another simple chance.

Clarke, with only two half-centuries in 14 championship innings before yesterday, replaced him at the crease but little else changed as the runs continued to flow freely either side of the tea interval.

The score doubled and kept rising as both batsmen completed their respective centuries, the partnership passed 200 inside 40 overs and table-topping Notts' attack looked spent.