Hampshire struggle to avoid the follow-on against Warwickshire

Hampshire's insipid display at Edgbaston only worsened when they plunged towards the follow-on in making 150 for 8 in reply to Warwickshire's formidable total of 455.

The second day began well for the south coast county when Nick Knight was lbw to Alex Morris for 140 from the first ball he faced, but that was just about the only good news as Warwickshire pressed hard for their first win under new captain Michael Powell.

Dominic Ostler, who shared in a stand of 196 for Knight, went on to make 119 before he was bowled by Dimitri Mascarenhas and former skipper Neil Smith happily returned to the ranks with a half-century in 72 balls.

Smith went lbw for 54 in a late mopping-up by John Stephenson (3 for 48), and though Alan Mullally and Morris emerged with credit by sharing five wickets earlier, Hampshire needed 306 to make the home side bat again.

This seemed within reach when openers Derek Kenway and Giles White put on 62 for the first wicket - and then disappeared when Mo Sheikh, with a career-best 4 for 36, and Dougie Brown (3 for 42) exposed a fragile batting line-up.

Wicketkeeper Keith Piper held three catches - including a brilliant leg-side effort to remove Robin Smith for four - as Hampshire nose dived to 111 for 7, but a missed slip chance allowed Morris to join Neil Johnson in a belated show of spirit.

The Zimbabwean newcomer, Johnson, went a little towards compensating for bowling figures of 0 for 100 by hanging on for 30 overs to make an unbeaten 26.