HAMPSHIRE suffered a third successive one-day defeat to record their worst start to a National League campaign for five years.

For the last three seasons Hampshire have won their opening one-day league game but a third successive defeat leaves them bottom of the first division.

Suddenly what should be a straightforward C & G Trophy tie at Shropshire tomorrow looks a little daunting after Gloucestershire's Jon Lewis destroyed Hampshire with bat and ball to inflict a 60-run defeat on the Hawks at the Rose Bowl yesterday.

Only eight months ago Hampshire completed their first season under Warne's captaincy by beating Gloucestershire by five wickets to secure third place in the National League's first division.

But yesterday Lewis produced a career-best 5 for 19 after his 28-ball 40 had helped the visitors to 210 for 9.

Two comprehensive defeats in as many days is not the sort of Bank Holiday Hampshire would have been hoping for.

The good news is that Dimitri Mascarenhas is back tomorrow.

But another woeful effort with the bat has left the top order worryingly short on confidence.

Pietersen's failures have been the most disappointing. He is sure to start England's one-day series against Australia, but scores of 5, 9 and 3 in his first three limited-overs game for Hampshire have been well below the standards he set himself in South Africa.

Carl Greenidge, son of Hampshire legend Gordon, was the man to take Pietersen's scalp this time when he slashed the Basingstoke-born seamer to Sri Lankan Upul Chandana at point to leave Hampshire reeling at 38 for 3 in the 15th over.

Simon Katich and Sean Ervine had already been dismissed in successive Lewis overs before Pietersen departed, and Derek Kenway missed another good opportunity when he was stumped down the leg side after making a solid start.

At least John Crawley (39 from 56 balls) and Nic Pothas (37 from 46) showed some grit. But when Crawley was caught at the wicket after putting on 55 with Pothas, Hampshire's chances were all but gone.

A Pothas reverse sweep against Michael Ball and a colossal straight six from Tremlett against the off-spinner only briefly raised hopes.

But Hampshire were left to rue another poor performance from the top order - and a dropped chance in the seventh over of the day, when Warne at second slip shelled Phil Weston when he had made only six.

It would have been a difficult take by most standards but Warne got both hands to the ball, and would have expected to dismiss a batsman who scored two championship half centuries in a losing cause on the same ground two weeks earlier.

The unfortunate bowler was Ervine, who in partnership with Tremlett restricted the visitors in a way that had not been done at Northants 24 hours earlier.

Weston held the innings together, making 63 from 96 balls before he became the fourth wicket to fall, stumped by Pothas after coming down the wicket to Shaun Udal in the 33rd over.

The partnership that swung the match was that between Weston and Lewis, who put on 75 in just 11 overs after Matt Windows, who returned after the fall of the seventh wicket, retired hurt with a hamstring injury.

Gloucestershire had been progressing at three runs an over before Lewis smashed five fours and a swept six against Warne, before the latter hit his off stump.

Gloucestershire added 85 runs in the last 17 overs with Chris Taylor (24 from 25 balls) and Steve Adshead (21 from 13 balls) setting Hampshire 211 to win. It should have been within their reach ...