HAMPSHIRE (444 & 376-2dec) BEAT WORCESTERSHIRE (289 & 237-9) BY 294 RUNS

Points - Hampshire (22), Worcestershire (5)

Shane Warne bowled through the pain barrier before setting up a tense end to Hampshire's season.

Warne took four of the last five Worcestershire wickets to fall, and a slip catch, as Hampshire completed a 294-run win at Kidderminster to go third in the Championship table, nine points behind leaders Sussex, with two matches to play.

In his first match since recovering from the rib injury he suffered against Lancashire a fortnight ago, Warne finished with 5-68 as Worcestershire were dismissed for 237 in their second innings.

Hampshire only needed 91 minutes to finish off Worcestershire this morning and Warne, bowling unchanged, took 4-36 in 13.2 overs to finish with his fifth five-for of the season, and his 18th for the county.

He bowled Abdul Razzaq with the first ball of his second over before Worcestershire, who needed an unattainable 532, had added to their overnight 158-4.

Moeen Ali, a left-handed Championship debutant, was caught at short-leg for 77 and by the time Warne had taken a smart catch at second slip to see off Gareth Batty, a crowd had gathered next to the sightscreen at the Pavilion End to get the best view of him in action.

Ray Price was beaten by a straight-on delivery from Warne, who found significant turn on the final morning.

Roger Sillence was caught by Jimmy Adams at second slip after the same fielder had dropped an identical chance in Warne's previous over, to become the ninth and final Worcestershire wicket to fall in the absence of the injured Ben Smith.

Warne said: "I was nowhere near 100 per cent in the first innings and didn't bowl that well but hopefully the tear has now healed.

"When I woke up this morning was the first day without any stiffness or soreness so hopefully I'll be okay for the rest of the season."

Hampshire's third maximum-points haul of the season has put them joint third with Lancashire, who beat Durham yesterday, and keeps them in touch with Championship favourites Sussex, who thrashed Yorkshire by an innings and 261 runs at Hove.

Michael Brown and twin centurion Michael Carberry set up Hampshire's fifth Championship win of the season by becoming the county's fifth opening pair to produce two century stands in a match and the first since Matthew Hayden and Jason Laney a decade ago.

"I can't say enough about Carbs, he was just fantastic and hopefully all our batters can finish on a high," said Warne, who is also backing his opening bowlers at Kiddermister - James Tomlinson, a vicar's son from Appleshaw, and Old Etonian James Bruce - to get even better.

He said: "Tommo grabbed his chance really well and James Bruce is one of the most improved fast bowlers on the circuit but we need to toughen them up a bit and get them more nasty!"

Warne waited until Hampshire had an insurmountable lead of 531 before finally declaring on the penultimate afternoon, as he was mindful that Worcestershire's only win of the season was at Kidderminster last month, when they made 337-4 against Yorkshire.

Three of Worcestershire's top-seven successful fourth-innings run chases have been at Kidderminster, a ground that has never hosted more than one first-class match in a season before now, so Warne was wise to wait before declaring.

He explained: "The wicket was excellent and it's such a fast-scoring ground - we scored 376-2 in just under two sessions and could have made 500 in a day."

Hampshire host Kent next week before completing their Championship campaign against Yorkshire at Headingley.

Warne added: "We're back in the mix - if we can beat Kent we'll set up a good finale."