Cricket: Warne Adds to Durham's Pain

Durham had the chance to pull clear of First Division relegation danger in this match, but a hapless batting performance means they could be in for an anxious fortnight. They failed to take a bonus point from an innings in which Ottis Gibson and Mick Lewis shared the highest stand, of 44, for the last wicket.

Shane Warne, who did not feel the need to bowl until after lunch, then chose not to enforce the follow-on, presumably to avoid batting last on a dry pitch already offering occasional variable bounce. Warne, who saw his openers adding 30 more by tea, must be confident of completing a 22-point win today that will maintain Hampshire's hopes of a second consecutive second-placed finish.

Resuming on nine for two, Durham never threatened to dig themselves out of trouble. Gordon Muchall's lean run continued as he was caught at short-leg pushing forward to a slower ball from Dimitri Mascarenhas, and a promising effort by the experimental opener Gary Scott ended when Sean Ervine trapped him lbw.

Dale Benkenstein fell in similar fashion to Chris Tremlett and in the next over Ben Harmison fenced loosely at James Bruce.

The procession continued after lunch. Phil Mustard holed out to Warne's fifth ball and in the next over Gareth Breese slashed Tremlett to Warne at second slip. But if those dismissals were daft enough, Callum Thorp plumbed new depths by calling for an ambitious single to midwicket, only to be sent back by Gibson and run out by Shaun Udal, Hampshire's 12th man.

Gibson and Lewis - a 37-year-old Barbadian recovering from a hernia operation and an Australian seamer with a batting average in single figures - then put their team-mates' efforts in perspective until Gibson lofted Warne's long-hop to long-on.