Hampshire's championship campaign looked set to begin with a draw when the final day's play began against Worcestershire at New Road today.

But a win against Glamorgan in the second game of the season, which starts at Cardiff on Wednesay, would constitute a satisfactory start to the Paul Terry-John Crawley era.

Yesterday the forecasted rain stayed away but a slowish wicket at New Road meant that a draw was seemingly inevitable when Worcestershire resumed on 187 for 5, a lead of 236, this morning.

Hampshire lost their last five wickets for 80 runs in 43 overs yeserday, having resumed on 267 for five.

Derek Kenway was the firts Hampshire batsman to depart on Saturday - he had his middle stump uprooted by the impresive Nantie Hayward.

Crawley was the last Hampshire wicket to fall on day two. Crawley failed to do what his opposite number Ben Smith did and score a century in his firts game as his county's captain - he went for 93 after missing a full toss from off spinner Gareth Batty in fading light.

And the following morning Kabir Ali, a pupil of Paul Terry's in Perth durign the winter, continued to work his way through the Hampshire line up in tandem with Hayward.

Ali claimed the first wickets to fall yesterday, but he was grateful to brillaint catches from Batty and Vikram Solanki.

Batty held on to a Dimi Mascarenhas hook at square leg, clutching the ball as it flew above his head, and Solanki helped remove Wasim with a smart catch at first slip.

Udal followed immediately after being beaten for pace by Hayward - veteran wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes dived full stretch to snaffle the off spinner.

And after being bowled out for 347, a first innings deficit of 49, Hampshire battled back.

Wasim was indebted to a brilliant catch from Jimmy Adams, who dived full length in taking a two-handed catch at third slip to dismiss Anurag Singh.

That brought Graeme Hick to the crease, and Worcestershire's talisman looked awesome on his arrival, crashing Ed Giddins for four with a belligerent square cut.

But Giddins, whose first innings 4-88 was his best return for two years, punched the air in delight later in the same over when Hick was trapped leg before after taking half a step forward.

Meanwhile,Wasim was continually beating the outside edge from the New Road end. He was hit for three successive first innings boundaries by Ali but looked more like the man who took 414 Test wickets yesterday.

It was a day that ended positively for Hampshire when Smith was denied a second century in his first game as captain.

Udal had dropped a half chance at gully off Mascarenhas when Smith was on eight but the home side's skipper had looked set for another ton before his 121-ball 82 came to an end.

With Solanki also back in the pavilion, he was caught at first slip after the ball deflected off Nic Pothas, there was still hope for Hampshire this morning.