Hogan takes four wickets as Hampshire end on 261/6

After yesterday's scorching temperatures, this morning dawned damp and overcast on the South Coast with steady drizzle starting to fall from just after breakfast time. It led to a delayed start until 12 noon, and faced with a green-tinged wicket, Mark Wallace had no hesitation in opting to bowl first after winning the toss, as the Welsh county welcomed back Marcus North and Michael Hogan who each missed the game against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Hogan duly took the new ball at the Pavilion End, eager to claim the six wickets he needs to reach the 50-mark whilst John Glover operated at the other end where building work is still taking place with the construction of a hotel. Hogan was soon amongst the wickets as he had Jimmy Adams caught behind as he propped forward to the final ball of the third over. With just three runs on the board, Liam Dawson joined Michael Carberry who nearly edged Glover to Marcus North at second slip three overs later, before surviving a loud appeal for l.b.w. But to the last ball of the over, Glover had an appeal upheld as he trapped Dawson leg before.

Carberry continued to live dangerously as he edged Hogan through the slips and gully for three fours, but he was more assured with his next boundary as he clipped Glover through mid-wicket. Neil McKenzie got off the mark with an inside edge off Glover before edging Jim Allenby just short of Graham Wagg at first slip.

Resuming after lunch on 26/2, Michael Carberry struck the first boundary of the session as he off-drove Jim Allenby in the second over of the afternoon, before three overs later again edging Michael Hogan through the slip cordon. Neil McKenzie then cover drove Allenby before being beaten by three successive deliveries from Hogan as the tall pace bowler beat the outside edge of his bat as he groped forward,

Graham Wagg duly returned to the attack at the Northern End, whilst John Glover replaced Hogan at the Pavilion End. The latter was duly pulled by Carberry for four as the Hampshire fifty came up in the 27th over, with the southpaw adding another boundary shortly afterwards as he cover drove the young seam bowler. McKenzie also struck two leg-side boundaries against Glover before Carberry reached his fifty - from 88 balls - by on-driving Wagg.

McKenzie added another cover driven four against Glover before Carberry pulled a no-ball from Wagg to the boundary boards at deep mid-wicket. The next delivery was edged through the slips by Carberry to bring up the Hampshire hundred in the 38th over before a glance to the ropes at square-leg by McKenzie brought up the hundred stand.

Carberry greeted the return of Glover at the Northern End by deftly clipping him to long-leg before pulling a short ball to mid-wicket. Dean Cosker then entered the attack in the 43rd over and beat the outside edge of Carberry's bat in his opening over. McKenzie then nurdled Glover through backward point for four, but in the penultimate over before tea he departed to Cosker as Mark Wallace completed a regulation catch.

Michael Carberry resumed after tea unbeaten on 78 having lost Neil McKenzie shortly before the break after adding 130 in 44.4 overs for the third wicket. Dean Cosker duly resumed at the Pavilion End whilst Michael Hogan returned at the Northern End and was again guided through backward point by Carberry, before being clipped to long-leg by the opener. James Vince began quietly, starting with a single off his legs against Cosker who conceded just this run in five accurate overs spanning the break for tea.

The 150 came up in the 59th over as Vince square-cut Cosker before Carberry drilled Hogan through mid-off for another boundary. But the tall paceman gained revenge as in the next over the left-hander top-edged a short delivery to give Mark Wallace his third catch. With Sean Ervine as his new partner Vince drove Wagg off the front foot through extra cover for four before steering Hogan to third man for four.

Ervine began by twice cover driving Wagg for four in the space of three balls before Vince followed suit against Hogan. Ervine then pulled a short ball from Wagg to the ropes at mid-wicket followed next delivery by a coruscating off-drive and then a firm on-drive as Glover returned at the Northern End.

Vince greeted the return of Cosker by cover-driving him for four as the 200 came up in the 70th over as Hampshire secured their first bonus point. He then drilled the spinner through mid-on for consecutive boundaries, whilst Ervine swept Marcus North for four before the new ball was taken with the home side on 230/4. Hogan and Wagg duly returned to the attack with the former twice being scythed for four through the gully and backward point by Ervine.

Vince then cover drove Wagg before completing a 97-ball fifty, by which time Hampshire had lost their fifth wicket as Ervine edged Hogan to North at second slip. Danny Briggs came in as night-watchman and unleashed a coupl eof fierce cuts which brought him boundaries. But Hogan gained his fourth wicket as Briggs edged to Wallace shortly before bad light and drizzle brought a premature end to the day's play after 85.1 overs.