A MEASURE of Hampshire's progress under Shane Warne is that they were the first county to be assured First Division cricket in both competitions next year.

When Billy Taylor took the promotion-clinching wicket of David Masters at Grace Road on Saturday, the five counties who began the season in the top flight of both the county championship and the totesport National League were by no means certain of retaining their place amongst the elite.

That elite is made up of Warwick-shire, Kent, Surrey, Gloucestershire and Northants - for the time being.

Kent and Surrey, who along with Lancashire are the only counties to have played all five seasons in the first division of the championship, have both been relegated to the National League's second division.

And, on Tuesday night, Warwick-shire joined them in Division 2 - just 24 hours after winning the county championship.

Northants' floodlit victory over Kent kept them up at the expense of four-day champions Warwickshire, but they remain on course for relegation in the longer version of the game and Gloucestershire are still not safe from the threat of Division 2 championship cricket next term.

Nottinghamshire became the second county to be sure of first division cricket in both competitions when they beat Somerset in the totesport National League at Taunton yesterday.

And National League second division champions Middlesex are virtual certainties to be plying their trade with the best sides in both forms of the game after ending Sussex's title challenge earlier this week.

But they still need a few points to be sure of staying up.

So there it is. Although Middlesex, Gloucestershire - and possibly Worc-estershire - are all likely to join them, Notts are the only other county that can boast top-tier cricket in limited overs and four-day cricket next year.

It's an attractive a carrot as can be offered to out of contract players looking for a new challenge and puts Hampshire in an enviable position as they prepare to add to the current squad. Paul Terry, Shane Warne, Rod Bransgrove and Tim Tremlett are discussing potential signings this week and, with top-flight cricket on offer for all of next summer, Hampshire should be after the very best.

At the top of their list of priorities is a strike bowler as Alan Mullally's availability is likely to be limited and Chris Tremlett remains injury-prone.

But the addition of at least one more batsman is a necessity, following the loss of Will Kendall and the general consensus that a solid top order is essential to first division survival.

Although Warne's fellow Victorians Matthew Elliott and Brad Hodge are bound to be considered, particularly as the latter is yet to commit to a new contract with Leicestershire, we will leave aside the contenders for an overseas spot until a later date.

More immediate is the importance of snaring the best English talent available. In some cases, that's a loose term, but Kevin Pietersen of Nottingham-shire qualifies as an Englishman later this month.

He may soon become a contracted England player and it will not be a huge surprise if he is playing Ashes cricket before next summer is out.

Natal-born batsman Pietersen is believed to be happier than he has been at Trent Bridge but is still likely to leave during the off season. Surrey are the favourites to land him but he would certainly add considerable class to Hampshire's middle order.

In Bilal Shafayat, Notts have another hugely-talented out-of-contract batsman who may be tempted by a move after a frustrating season.

Nottingham-born Shafayat is no longer a teenage prodigy but a slightly disillusioned 20-year-old after playing just one championship game all summer. The prospect of batting at The Rose Bowl might put off a player as inexperienced as Shafayat but there are plenty of other options.

Ed Smith of Kent is out of contract and Terry's desire to work with talented young batsmen makes Mali Richards another candidate.

The son of Sir Vivian has struggled to make the grade at Middlesex but has undoubted pedigree. Maybe he will follow Michael Brown, the most astute of Terry's signings so far, from Lord's to The Rose Bowl.

The clever money, however, is on Aftab Habib, who was targeted by Hampshire three years ago. Instead, Habib joined Essex after leaving Leicestershire but has rejected the offer of a one-year contract and his Reading links make him ideally placed for a move to Hampshire.

Habib's age - he will be 33 when the new season starts - may count against him but he has the experience needed in the first division for the championship and would be ideal as a straight swap for Kendall in the middle order.

The prospect of a reunion with Worcestershire batsman Kadeer Ali will also be in Paul Terry's thoughts.

Right-handed batsman Kadeer has trained at the Hampshire manager's academy in Perth but has spent another season on the periphery at New Road.

The cousin of Kabir has already been linked with Middlesex and Somerset but, if he becomes available, Hampshire must have as good a chance as any of snapping up the 21-year-old.

So to that new strike bowler. Richard Logan will be mentioned, having destroyed Hampshire at The Rose Bowl in June. The Notts seamer has done little else but, if it's high-profile names Hampshire want, they could do worse than sign Mohammed Ali, who has bowled at 90mph in the past.

Ali has failed to make the grade at lowly Derbyshire and, at the age of 30, is probably past his best. But apart from Gloucestershire talisman Jon Lewis, who is wanted by Warwickshire, there are few other players available.

Kent's Ben Trott and Leicestershire's Charlie Dagnall are other seamers out of contract but Warne has already hinted that Hampshire's new strike bowler will be an overseas player.