Northants made a satisfactory start despite four wickets for Warwickshire's Ian Salisbury on the opening day of the Championship game at Edgbaston.

Stephen Peters (50) and Niall O'Brien (48) set the visitors on their way with a first-wicket stand of 96.

And good batting by Rob White (73) and Rikki Wessels (61) ensured the good start was not wasted.

No-one was able to go on to three figures, however, as veteran leg-spinner Salisbury claimed 4-79.

It was a fine effort by the Northampton-born 38-year-old, who had only managed eight wickets in six previous Championship outings this summer.

He began by removing O'Brien and Peters in the final 10 overs before lunch, the former lofting a catch to deep mid-wicket and Peters succumbing to a stumping by keeper Tony Frost, who is making his 100th first-class appearance.

The Northants decline continued after lunch as David Sales fell lbw to Salisbury's googly for four, leaving them on 129-3.

But White, in particular, reaped the benefit of a bold counter-attacking approach, reaching a half century off 51 balls as he added 83 in 19 overs with Wessels.

Their partnership came to an end when White, who struck three sixes and nine fours, top edged an attempted sweep off Salisbury just before tea.

Left-arm seamer Neil Carter then brought Wessels's innings to an end with the help of a catch by Navdeep Poonia, but Lance Klusener continued his good recent form with an unbeaten 35 before the weather intervened.