Hampshire have the better of Kent

Shane Warne enjoyed himself at Kent's expense to give Hampshire the best of their championship match at Portsmouth. First he made 69, his highest score since joining the county, and then when Kent began their reply to Hampshire's 320 the Australian leg-spinner dismissed two batsmen in his first over.

Pugnacious Warne struck 56 runs in boundaries, which included sixes from David Masters and Min Patel, and then was bowled moving out to drive the latter. He increased his previous highest for Hampshire by 19 by is still a way of his ambition of hitting his first hundred.

Jason Laney made the highest score for the home county with a forthright 81 in which there were nine boundaries. Within sight of his first century for two seasons he hit a rising ball from Ben Trott to be caught by Robert Key at mid-wicket.

Patel, who bowled with life and lift for just under forty overs, was Kent's most successful bowler. He dismissed Derek Kenway and Robin Smith to catches by wicket-keeper Paul Nixon and Adrian Aymes to a catch by Matthew Walker in the slips. Earlier Walker had missed two easier chances from Will Kendall.

Trott, who had represented Hampshire earlier this season, was included because of the absence of fast bowlers Dean Headley, Martin McCague and Julian Thompson. Trott also dismissed Dmitri Mascarenhas. Then, however, the home lower-order contributed 102 runs for the last three wickets of which Shaun Udal made 31 and Peter Hartley 23.

Hampshire were all out in the 94th so their opponents ad to face a further nine before the close. For the fifth Warne was called on to bowl and with his second ball had Robert Key caught by Giles White at short-leg before he had scored and four balls later had nightwatchman Masters leg-before. David Fulton and Rahul Dravid took the score to 31-2 at the close.