Two hundred-run stands, including a second in three days from John Crawley and Robin Smith, put Hampshire in charge against a depleted Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.

Smith's 92 was the highest score in the Frizzell County Championship yesterday as Hampshire reached 381-5 on the first day of their Division 2 match.

It confirmed that he, Nic Pothas and Crawley, his successor as Hampshire skipper, are the three form batsman in the Hampshire line-up.

But Hampshire's best day of the season so far should be put in context - Glamorgan were without three bowlers before captain and opening batsman Steve James had to pull out after his suspect knee flared up during the warm-up.

Seam bowlers Darren Thomas (knee), and Mike Kasprowicz (thigh), Glamorgan's one overseas player, were injured in the draw at Derbyshire earlier this week.

And, with England fast bowler Simon Jones out for the whole season and the wicket batter-friendly, Crawley was always going to bat first on winning his first toss as Hampshire captain. But Crawley continued the good form he showed at Worcester in his first game at the top of the Hampshire order, scoring 65 fluent runs from 117 balls, including 12 boundaries.

His driving was immaculate and he reached his fifty in 102 balls before Alex Wharf, the only Glamorgan seamer to threaten, got one to cut back and take the top of his off stump.

Crawley has now scored fifties in all of his Championship innings this season - his only worry being that he has failed to convert any of them into his third Hampshire ton.

Derek Kenway has a little more to worry about and will have regretted not scoring runs that were there for the taking, especially as he had made such a promising start before being caught at gully, fencing at a ball that lifted.

Kenway's failures at Worcester would have been in the back of his mind yesterday but he had outscored Crawley before he lost his wicket to Wharf and has the security of knowing that his captain and Paul Terry intend to give their players a decent run in the side.

Smith's decision to relinquish the captaincy looks to have done wonders for his form. His 92 included 15 boundaries and he looked certain to score his first hundred of the season before he was caught behind as he drove at Harrison.

Hampshire's batting lacks depth without John Francis, Simon Katich and Jimmy Adams but Will Kendall looked in good touch, hitting successive boundaries off rookie David Harrison before playing across a straight one.

That brought Alex Morris to the crease. Morris is still a few weeks away from full fitness so can only bowl in the nets but he impressed in the role of specialist batsman before playing a rash shot when four short of his eighth first class fifty.

The left hander, who had been dropped by first slip Michael Powell off Robert Croft when on 39, attempted a pull but it ballooned up to Harrison at mid-off.

Nic Pothas, meanwhile, continued the form that brought him a maiden Hampshire century at Worcester. Driving Glamorgan's threadbare attack fearsomely hard, he put on 122 for the fifth wicket with Morris.

He hit Adrian Dale for three boundaries in four balls and looked set for a second Hampshire ton at the close. His unbeaten 81 took 143 balls and increased his average for the season to 275.

Hampshire batsmen Jimmy Adams and John Francis were dismissed for four and nought respectively as Loughborough UCCE were bowled out for 206 by Surrey at the Oval yesterday.

Adams and Francis had a far less friendly attack than their Hampshire teammates to face but theirs were the first two wickets to fall, both to Jimmy Ormond, against the county champions.