Hampshire remain in the hunt

Hampshire batsmen Michael Brown and Chris Benham shared a determined, unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 139 to keep their side in the hunt against LV County Championship rivals Lancashire at Old Trafford.

The Division One strugglers were staring down the barrel at 35 for three in reply to the home side’s 357, in which four batsmen passed 50 but failed to reach three figures.

But Brown led the way with 75, while Benham almost caught him up with 70. The pair united for 51 overs to take the score to 174 for three at stumps.

Lancashire had taken control of the clash in the morning session of day two as they pursue a third consecutive win to strengthen their title claims.

Although they eventually missed out on the maximum fifth batting point for passing 400, Dominic Cork hit a swift 35 to help his side recover from 294 for eight.

Cork hit five fours and one towering straight six off leg-spinner Imran Tahir in his 42-ball knock while sharing a partnership of 47 for the ninth wicket with Gary Keedy (15).

Francois Du Plessis earlier recorded his third half-century of the four-day season, a patient 152-ball 57.

Michael Brown played a watchful innings of 75

Tahir had claimed four wickets on the opening day of this clash and completed the 14th five-wicket haul of his career when he had Keedy caught at deep midwicket by David Balcombe to end the innings.

Chris Tremlett had Luke Sutton caught behind by Nic Pothas for two in the second over of the day to halt Lancashire’s progress from their overnight score of 261 for six.

Balcombe then had Glen Chapple caught in the slips by Sean Ervine for the same score three overs later before James Tomlinson trapped Du Plessis leg before and had Cork caught behind.

Tomlinson finished with 2-57, Balcombe 2-46, Tremlett 1-76 and Tahir 5-123 from his 39.2 overs.

Sajid Mahmood (1-33 from 16 overs) removed left-hander Ervine, who was opening the batting because Michael Carberry has been dropped, in his first over courtesy of a stunning catch by Du Plessis at point.

John Crawley then shouldered arms to Chapple and saw his off stump cannon to one that nipped back five overs later.

And after a stodgy third-wicket partnership of 20 from 12 overs between Brown and Michael Lumb, the latter was caught behind by Sutton off Cork’s bowling.

But from 35 for three in the 19th over of the innings, Brown and Benham, who is playing only his second game of the year, steered their side to a healthy position.

Brown, who was born in Burnley and played four times for Lancashire seconds in 1997 and 1998, reached his half-century from 142 balls with 11 fours.

It was a strange innings from the 28-year-old, who was very watchful, but reached 50 with only 16 scoring shots. Benham later reached his fifty from 106 balls with seven fours.

Brown survived a late and loud shout for a catch by Lou Vincent at short gully when he attempted to reverse-sweep Keedy on 74.