Dimitri Mascarenhas scored his first century of the season yesterday and then reached 50 championship wickets for the first time in his career - but it was not enough to beat Durham at the Riverside.

Mascarenhas's 104, the fourth hundred of his career, equalled his career best with the bat, and he followed up by taking 2 for 21 in the Durham second innings to go past the 50 wicket landmark.

Ulitmately, two days of rain denied Hampshire the chance to force a seventh win of the season but the nine-point haul means that victory against Leicestershire at Grace Road next week should clinch promotion.

Manager Paul Terry said: "Dimi batted really well, it wasn't an easy wicket, but he applied himself and helped us get a score on the board by batting responsibly.

"Dimi's had a great year, to get 50 wickets for the season is a tremendous achievement, but unfortuately we could not force the win. We've played some pretty amazing games this year and we thought we would still have a chance if we got amongst them early but in the end we didn't have enough overs to play with."

Despite a career-best six for 74 by 19-year-old paceman Liam Plunkett, Hampshire recovered from their overnight 50 for five to make 280, a lead of 63.

With 43 overs to bat, Durham reached 109 for four in their second innings before a halt was called at 5.30

Mascarenhas took few risks in reaching his fourth first-class century off 173 balls, leaving the flashing strokeplay to Nic Pothas and Shane Warne. Pothas hit three fours and a pulled six in one over from Graham Onions on his way to a 41-ball half-century.

He played on against Gavin Hamilton for 57, but it was the only wicket to fall in the morning session as Hampshire added 151.

Mascarenhas reached 50 off 94 balls while Warne drove Graeme Bridge for a big six over long-on in hammering 41 from 31 balls before falling during Plunkett's fiery post-lunch spell. The youngster had Warne caught at second slip by Gareth Breese then almost trapped Shaun Udal lbw - before hitting his off-stump with the next delivery.

Bridge created problems for left-hander Billy Taylor, while Plunkett troubled Mascarenhas.

A ball which took off from a length flew off the shoulder of the bat over wicketkeeper Phil Mustard for four and, on 73, Mascarenhas edged Plunkett just short of Marcus North at first slip.

North held a difficult chance off an Onions no-ball with Mascarenhas on 92 and the batsman's luck continued as a bottom edge through the slips gave him his 13th four and took him to his century.

He equalled his best of 104 before both he and last man James Bruce were bowled going for big hits off Bridge.

With the pitch playing more easily than on the first day, Jon Lewis ensured that Durham wiped out the arrears within 14 overs as he moved fluently to 37.

But he also lost Breese and Gordon Muchall.

Breese made only six before he was lbw to Mascarenhas, but he stayed long enough to put on 42 with Lewis and ensure there was no collapse.

Muchall edged Mascarenhas to Pothas then the all-rounder nipped one in to have Lewis lbw, but Hampshire's only other success came when Kyle Coetzer gloved a leg-side catch to Pothas off Warne's quicker ball.