Adams paves the way for Hampshire

Jimmy Adams sweeps powerfully during his fluent innings of 90 in a 62-run triumph at the Rose Bowl

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Jimmy Adams hit a sparkling 90 as Hampshire comfortably beat Durham at the Rose Bowl to go top of the NatWest Pro40 First Division.

Adams' innings spanned only 87 balls and included nine fours and one six, setting up a 62-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Michael Lumb got the Hampshire innings off to a flying start with a rapid 24 off only 16 balls before seamer Graham Onions struck in the fourth over.

Adams found a willing partner in Michael Carberry, putting on 124 in 18 overs before Carberry was caught for 67.

The Durham bowlers were being treated with contempt by the Hampshire batsmen, with Ben Harmison smashed for 31 off only three overs before being withdrawn from the attack.

West Indian bowler Gareth Breese stemmed the tide with a wicketless spell of 42 from his eight overs, but it was Liam Plunkett who dragged Durham back into the game.

Plunkett tempted Chris Benham, who smashed a rapid 69 from only 45 balls, into a wild slash to be caught in the slips.

Durham's Lee Goddard watches Chris Benham drive straight in his brutal innings of 69 off 45 balls

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Plunkett ended Adams' innings in the same over just as Hampshire were looking to push the score along, and Dimitri Mascarenhas added 15 before he became Onions' third victim as the hosts posted 298 for seven from 40 overs.

Australian opener Michael Di Venuto was bowled by James Tomlinson for two as the Durham reply got off to a bad start.

They were 42 for two when the heavens opened and an hour of play was lost to the rain.

They were set a revised target of 212 off 25 overs, a task that proved way beyond them.

Wickets fell regularly and only Plunkett, who top-scored with 23 not out, showed any resistance before the rain began falling again.

The umpires called off the match with Durham on 118 for seven after 21 overs, well adrift of the Duckworth-Lewis target.