HAMPSHIRE 312-7 & 169 DREW WITH WARWICKSHIRE 262

Points: Hampshire (7), Warwickshire (9)

Nic Pothas scored an unbeaten 126, his first century of the season, as Hampshire drew their fourth successive championship match.

Pothas's innings came from 186 balls and included 22 fours but both sides settled for a draw at 4.50pm.

The draw was always the most likely result after centurion Pothas and John Crawley (73) produced their highest scores of the season in putting on 121 for the fifth wicket.

But after resuming on 37-1 this morning, Hampshire lost three more wickets before erasing Warwickshire's first-innings lead.

Michael Brown (21) was out without adding to his overnight score when he edged a beauty from Naqaash Tahir that bounced and left him at the end of the second over of the day (44-2).

And Michael Lumb's (16) poor run continued when he nibbled at a Dale Steyn delivery (71-3).

Michael Carberry (2 from 26 balls) did no better. Disciplined Warwickshire bowling resulted in an irresponsible drive outside off stump against James Anyon and another catch for wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose (85-4).

Crawley was at least holding Hampshire's innings together but was dropped on 40 at first slip by Jonathan Trott, who denied Anyon his second wicket of the session by twice clutching at thin air.

It proved to be a costly drop. Hampshire were 100-4 at that stage, a lead of just seven.

By lunch, Crawley and the free-scoring Pothas had helped Hampshire to a lead of 26.

LUNCH: HAMPSHIRE 119-4 (CRAWLEY 40*, POTHAS 23*) FROM 45 OVERS

Pothas struck three fours as Hampshire took 17 runs off Anyon in the first over after lunch.

Then Crawley reached his third fifty of the season (136 balls) by cutting Anyon for his ninth four.

Pothas passed fifty from just 55 balls - his fourth in six innings this season - by hitting Alex Loudon's off spin for his tenth four with a back foot drive as he maintained his positive intent.

By the time the 100-run partnership had been reached, Pothas had overtaken Crawley despite having spent two hours less at the crease.

Crawley finally departed for 73 (187 balls, 12 fours), his highest score of the season, when he followed a wide delivery in Warwickshire captain Darren Maddy's third over to become Ambrose's fourth dismissal of the innings (206-5).

Pothas reached his hundred from 135 balls in taking 18 off another expensive Anyon over, which included three fours in four balls.

The batsman-wicketkeeper reached his first championship hundred since August by cutting Anyon for his 18th four and was still there at tea when Hampshire led by 160 runs, with a minimum of 31 overs remaining.

TEA: HAMPSHIRE 253-5 (POTHAS 109*, MASCARENHAS 14*)

Warwickshire took two quick wickets after taking the second new ball immediately after tea.

Mascarenhas (20) was bowled by a Naqaash Tahir yorker in the fifth over of the final session (263-6).

And three balls later Shane Warne (0) skied a horrible shot to mid off to hand Tahir his second wicket (263-7).

Tremlett (30* from 25 balls)thumped Trott's medium pace for a huge six over mid-wicket as the match meandered towards the close.