Hampshire were looking to Jimmy Adams to help them salvage a draw at home to Surrey as they sought to stay in the race for the LV County Championship title.
In the absence of injured captain Shane Warne, Hampshire had a battle on their hands as they reached 135 for four in reply to 556 at lunch on a cloudy third day at the Rose Bowl.
Adams (74no) lost his overnight partner John Crawley for a 20-ball duck but soon afterwards the number three brought up his half-century from 105 deliveries with a cut for his eighth four, off the pace of Chris Jordan.
A watchful Crawley succeeded only in guiding an edge off the back foot into the hands of first slip, from seamer Matt Nicholson, as relegation-threatened Surrey began to scent a possible victory.
Adams' fellow left-hander Michael Lumb was notably cautious too. But playing against type did not work, the ex-Yorkshire batsman eventually becoming a second lbw victim for leg-spinner Chris Schofield - once of Lancashire.
Adams was breaking no speed limits either but continued to pick off the bad ball and, in company with stand-in captain Nic Pothas, closed out the session.
As long as Adams remained, there appeared no obvious reason why the hosts could not still aspire to an acceptable haul of batting points on an even and easy-paced pitch.
Saving the follow-on, however, was likely to prove problematic.
More updates to follow.
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