A BRILLIANT innings from Derek Kenway inspired Hampshire to a crushing nine-wicket Norwich Union League Division Two victory over Derbyshire with more than eight overs to spare at Derby.

Victory pushed Robin Smith's team into second place behind leaders Warwickshire, but with a game in hand.

Kenway more than made up for an untidy afternoon behind the stumps by taking the Derbyshire bowling apart to hammer an unbeaten 83 from 87 balls with two sixes and 10 fours.

Jason Laney also made 62 not out as Hampshire overhauled Derbyshire's 184 for five in the 36th over to strengthen their challenge for promotion to Division One.

Derbyshire's total looked a competitive one on a grassy pitch until Kenway took the game by the scruff of the neck with an impressive display of clean hitting.

He came in after Neil Johnson had been trapped lbw to Paul Aldred for 23 to end an opening stand of 42 in 12 overs and took the game away from the home side in a handful of overs.

Alex Edwards was withdrawn from the attack after four overs that cost 29 runs, but there was no respite as Kenway drove Kevin Dean over long off for six.

He survived a stumping chance off left-arm spinner Lian Wharton on 43 with the score on 110 and after driving Graeme Welch for his fourth four to reach 50 from only 51 balls, he savaged Rob Bailey's off-spin.

Bailey's first three balls were dispatched to the midwicket boundary and although he survived another stumping chance off Wharton on 78, Hampshire were by then only 25 away from victory.

Laney was overshadowed, but he also played fluently after blunting a good opening spell from Welch.

The home side had struggled after rain delayed the start by 10 minutes against some testing bowling with Shaun Udal slamming on the brakes in an outstanding nine-over spell off cunning off-spin that cost only 14 runs.

Michael Di Venuto made 42 but Derbyshire were struggling until Karl Krikken and Luke Sutton worked the ball around to share an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 84.

They took 38 from the last four overs but that was the only time Hampshire were seriously threatened and although Welch suggested it could be close by opening with two maidens, Kenway eased his side to victory.

Hampshire secured a draw in their CricInfo Division 2 clash against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham on Saturday after rain interrupted proceedings.

Hampshire, set 350 to win in 65 overs, had moved to 40-1 from 22 overs when wet weather swept across the College Ground in mid afternoon to rule out any further play on the final day.

Robin Smith's men had shown little interest in chasing the stiff target set for them by Gloucestershire captain Mrk Alleyne, who declared his side's second innings just before lunch on 245-6.