HAMPSHIRE lost three second-innings wickets last night chasing a testing target against Sussex in the Frizzell County Championship Division 1.

Hampshire lost Michael Brown for only seven, pinned in front by Jason Lewry attempting to leg glance, and Simon Katich and James Adams went late on with the light fading as they reached 89-3 chasing 285 to win.

Australian Katich was bowled by Mushtaq Ahmed after charging down the pitch aiming to play to wide mid-on, before Adams chipped James Kirtley carelessly to square leg.

John Crawley and former Sussex pace bowler Billy Taylor will resume to take up the challenge for Hampshire on today's final day.

Chris Adams passed 7,000 first-class career runs for Sussex with a valuable unbeaten 79. He displayed great concentration in compiling 11 fours in his 157-ball knock as Sussex posted 312.

Sussex, resuming on 101-2, received an early shock when Murray Goodwin shouldered arms to Taylor and was bowled in the seventh over.

Ian Ward had a let-off when Kevin Pietersen dropped a relatively straightforward chance at second slip off Chris Tremlett on 62. Ward departed shortly after lunch when he cut at a delivery from Katich and edged a simple catch to wicketkeeper Nic Pothas.

Shane Warne sparked a mid-innings wobble by removing Matt Prior and Robin Martin-Jenkins leg-before in consecutive balls. Taylor then reduced the hosts to 211-7 as Mark Davis got himself out by rashly attempting to cut and edging a catch to Pothas.

But spirited late-order batting boosted Sussex's lead and Mushtaq and Kirtley means Hampshire will need the highest total of the match to win it.

Mushtaq's breezy knock ended when he chased a wideish delivery from Zimbabwe all-rounder Sean Ervine and was caught at the wicket. Warne wrapped up the innings by sending back Kirtley and Lewry in successive deliveries to finish with 4-81 in 21 overs.

l Hampshire's young second wicketkeeper Tom Burrows was taken to hospital yesterday after being hit on the head during the final day of the Second X1's warm-up game against Sussex.

He was X-rayed then sent home suffering from concussion. Burrows, who is 19, will have another fitness check early next week.