HAMPSHIRE MOVE CLOSER TO PROMOTION

The match was all over two overs before tea on the third day as John Francis, making his Championship debut, struck the winning boundary to give Hampshire 15 precious points in their quest for an immediate return to the top flight.

Middlesex began the third day 142 ahead at 232 for 5 in their second innings but they fell away rapidly against Alan Mullally and Dimitri Mascarenhas.

The last five Middlesex wickets fell in less than an hour-and-a-half for 21 runs.

Opener Andrew Strauss, 100 not out overnight, added only another 12 but carried his bat as wickets fell in quick succession at the other end.

David Nash and Chad Keegan were both lbw and then Angus Fraser, Tim Bloomfield and Phil Tufnell followed them back into the pavilion without much resistance.

Strauss batted for six hours, 14 minutes in compiling his third century of the season and hit 14 fours but it all proved to be in vain.

Mullally, causing problems with his swing and movement, dismissed Nash, Bloomfield and Tufnell to finish with 3 for 70 but it was Mascarenhas who again emerged as the most successful of the Hampshire bowlers.

His 3-21 gave him match figures of 9-47 and left Hampshire needing only 164 with plenty of time in which to get the runs.

There were some early alarms as Giles White edged Bloomfield to first slip and Derek Kenway was caught at the wicket with only nine on the board, a situation which worsened after lunch when Robin Smith gave Fraser his second wicket of the innings after making only seven.

But then Will Kendall was joined by Neil Johnson in what proved to be a match-winning stand of 91 for the third wicket with Zimbabwean Johnson the dominant partner.

Kendall, who has struggled for form this summer, made a patient 38 before Fraser had him caught expertly by Stephen Fleming but Hampshire were not to be denied.

Johnson and Francis took the score to 160, with four needed when Johnson's fluent innings ended with a catch to Strauss at mid-wicket, the only fielder on the leg side. Johnson's 74 included nine boundaries and came off 113 balls and left Francis to complete the formality of victory in the next over.

Fraser finished with 3-46 but there was nothing he could do to prevent Hampshire winning comfortably.

They now need only two points from their final game at Nottinghamshire to be sure of instant promotion while Middlesex, who gathered only three points, face a difficult test away to Worcestershire.