By David Green at Southampton
First day of four: Hampshire (0-1) trail Glamorgan (269) by 269 runs
A DEFIANT 92 from Adrian Dale and an imposing 52 from 21-year-old Michael Powell underpinned Glamorgan's useful total after they had been put in on a well-grassed pitch yesterday.
The ball seamed and swung all day, so quick bowlers predominated. Dimitri Mascarenhas finished with four for 68 and Nixon McLean three for 42 but generally Hampshire's bowling was not quite accurate enough to fully exploit the conditions.
McLean and his new-ball partner Peter Hartley caused early problems, Steve James, on five, being missed at long leg from a top-edged hook off McLean, but young Alun Evans was first to go.
Evans was shaping well when he unluckily played on to McLean. James, missed at slip on 30, did not survive for long, falling lbw playing half forward to his Hampshire namesake Kevan.
Mascarenhas, with the wind blowing from square leg, could not command his usual in-swing but he made the ball go away off the pitch with regularity and Matthew Maynard was caught behind off one of these.
When Tony Cottey padded up to a straight one from McLean, Glamorgan were wobbling at 112 for four. Had Shaun Udal caught Dale, then 42, at slip off Hartley three overs later, the day's course might have changed.
As it was, Dale continued to provide the spine of the innings while Powell, tall, admirably orthodox and as happy on the back foot as on the front, played himself in before revealing some handsome strokes.
Two in an over from Hartley, a square cut like the crack of a whip and booming drive through extra cover, linger in the memory, as does a fierce hook just behind square off McLean.
Powell had reached 52 off 85 balls with seven fours when he lifted Hartley's slower ball to mid-off. McLean soon had Gary Butcher caught behind and James, whose figures scarcely did him justice, had Adrian Shaw leg before.
Mascarenhas ended Dale's 4.75-hour resistance via a thin edge, Darren Thomas departing in similar fashion three balls later. Finally, Steve Watkin and Owen Parkin, mingling air shots with authentic blows, added 24 for the last wicket.
The eighth ball of Hampshire's innings, an outswinger from Parkin, held up enough to have John Stephenson lbw, but at that point, with 15.4 overs still to be bowled, rain ended play for the day, to Glamorgan's frustration and to the relief of Hampshire.
Day 2: Smith and White put up stout resistance
By David Green at Southampton
Second day of four: Hampshire (247-5) trail Glamorgan (269) by 22 runs
ROBIN SMITH'S pugnacious 84 was the highlight of a gripping day's play on a pitch which continued to assist seam bowling, while Giles White's obdurate 56 provided strong support as lowly Hampshire reached a solid position against the reigning champions.
Like Hampshire's bowlers on the first day, Glamorgan's attack bowled a little too short, particularly in the morning when the bat was passed frequently by balls which, pitched a yard fuller, might have taken the edge.
In the afternoon, however, Owen Parkin and Steve Watkin bowled particularly well and Hampshire, at one time 139 for one, stumbled to 163 for five before Adrian Aymes and Paul Whitaker rescued them with an unbroken partnership of 74.
Once again, missed chances proved significant. Smith, on nine, was missed by wicketkeeper Adrian Shaw off Darren Thomas, and again on 20 as Parkin back-pedalled frantically at long leg under a top-edged hook off Watkin.
When Hampshire resumed in the morning at nought for one, Glamorgan's 269 looked a long way off but Smith and White, who both have moderate championship records so far this season, applied themselves resolutely. Smith, punching the ball square off the back foot and driving past the bowler when the chance arose, scored more quickly than White.
Smith's fifty came off 92 balls, brisk going in the circumstances. White's occupied 157 balls and shortly after reaching it he 'spliced' Watkin to mid-on. Watkin also dismissed Smith with a fast leg-break after four hours' defiance.
Matthew Keech 'walked' for a legside nick off Gary Butcher who then had Dimitri Mascarenhas lbw. Parkin, who swung the ball cleverly both ways without any luck at all, took tea unlucky to have taken only one wicket.
Any thought Glamorgan had of a complete breakthrough were soon dispelled by Aymes and Whitaker.
Day 3: Hants close in on first victory
By David Green at Southampton
Third day of four: Glamorgan (269 & 127 for five) trail Hampshire (471) by 75 runs
ADRIAN Aymes's 120, his second century in successive championship matches, and Paul Whitaker's 74, were followed by incisive bowling from Peter Hartley at Southampton yesterday to put Hampshire in sight of their first championship win.
When Hampshire resumed at 247 for five a significant lead was by no means certain, but Aymes and Whitaker pressed on steadily on a pitch offering less help to seamers than previously.
Whitaker scored the quicker but his innings had lasted 199 minutes when the persevering Owen Parkin had him caught behind. Aymes, undeterred, continued to wait patiently for the loose ball, dispatching it unerringly with firm drives and pulls.
Kevan James then played solidly until he sacrificed himself in a mess-up over a short single. Not long afterwards Aymes' 322 minute vigil, which included 13 fours, ended when he was caught behind aiming to cut.
Shaun Udal slogged away effectively, as did Hartley, and the lead was a formidable 202 when the latter pulled the persevering Watkins to deep square leg.
Steve James and Alun Evans began Glamorgan's second innings confidently, passing 50 in 17 overs. James then walked in front of one from Hartley who, two balls later, made one bounce to have Adrian Dale caught at slip. When Matthew Maynard edged an attempted drive Glamorgan were in deep trouble.
Hartley also had Tony Cottey caught at slip and Michael Powell pulled a full toss to midwicket but Evans, having been missed at the wicket when 25, reached a maiden championship fifty in impressive style.
Day 4: Hampshire close in on champions
By Christopher Lyles at Southampton
Final day of four: Hampshire v Glamorgan
HAMPSHIRE came into this match on Wednesday morning propping up all the other counties in the championship table and few would have forecast a victory against last season's champions.
But, despite a morning sea mist which delayed the start of play by 10 overs and some spirited Glamorgan resistance from Alun Evans and Gary Butcher, Hampshire have been left the relatively straightforward task of scoring 84 runs from a minimum of 38 overs to secure their first championship victory of the season.
The hosts began the final day, after some disappointing batting in Friday's final session on an improving pitch, still requiring 76 runs to make Hampshire bat again.
Glamorgan needed at least two batsmen to make substantial hundreds in conditions that continued to offer assistance in the air but they soon lost Owen Parkin when Dimitri Mascarenhas nipped one back to send the night watchman's middle stump cartwheeling.
For a time Evans, whose overnight score of 55 was already a championship best, and Butcher kept Hampshire at bay, sometimes luckily as they played and missed outside the off stump.
But they put on 50 in 18 overs before Evans fell 13 runs short of his century caught down the legside off the wobbling, middle-medium pace of John Stephenson. It was a frustrating way for Evans to miss out on his first championship hundred but after being left out against Middlesex it will have done his confidence a power of good.
Butcher, whose previous best in the championship this season was 23, steered Glamorgan past the figure of 202, forcing Hampshire to bat again as he mixed watchful defence with some lusty blows, the best being a six over midwicket off Mascarenhas.
He offered one chance to Paul Whitaker at second slip off the bowling of Kevan James when he had made 20 but apart from that it was a high-quality innings and his straight driving was top notch. His 85 was made from 139 deliveries and included 12 fours and one six.
He received commendable support from Darren Thomas, who made 18 before spooning a catch to extra cover, and Steve Watkin, who helped him add 31 for the last wicket before Butcher succumbed, athletically caught by Adrian Aymes in front of first slip.