Warwickshire (145-4) trail Hampshire by 431 runs in their first innings

Hampshire shut the door on Warwickshire's Championship hopes during a one-sided day at The Rose Bowl.

Whatever lingering ambitions Nick Knight?s team retained after their late strikes on the first day, they were obliterated by a record seventh-wicket that batted the reigning champions out of this match.

This game is now about damage limitation. The best Warwickshire can aim for is a draw in the hope that results elsewhere go their way. They require a miracle to retain their title.

Warwickshire can, to some extent, count themselves unfortunate. Losing the toss here is a major disadvantage. Their bowlers performed pretty well, but were powerless to stop Hampshire accruing the largest first-class total at this ground in the five years that cricket has been played here.

But the visitors will also reflect that some of their problems have been selfinflicted. Michael Powell?s failure to cling on to a regulation slip chance offered by Shane Watson before he had scored came back to haunt his side as the Australian became the first Hampshire man to score a doublecentury at the venue.

Powell, standing at slip largely because his sore shins prohibit him fielding anywhere else, compounded the error by flooring a similar chance when the batsman had 166.

Furthermore Warwickshire?s top-order batting ? with the noticeable exception of their skipper ? was reckless, with three of the four wickets owing much to poor shot selection.

It could have been worse. Knight was badly missed by Jimmy Adams at third slip on 21, drawn into driving away from his body off Chris Tremlett, and survived several inside edges that could easily have cannoned into the stumps.

He resumes this morning three short of his first century since the game against Kent at Canterbury in April; 22 innings and four months ago. While he is there his team have hope of avoiding the follow-on target of 427 ? still a daunting 282 runs away.

Tremlett was nowhere near his best. Widely tipped as Simon Jones? replacement for the final Ashes Test, Tremlett was watched by England selector Geoff Miller, but cannot have done his cause much good.

Tremlett struggled for rhythm and line, allowing Knight copious opportunities to cut him through the off side or turn him off his legs.

However, such are Tremlett?s natural attributes ? great height and strength ? that on the rare occasions that he put the ball in the right place, he still proved awkward.

Ian Westwood fended a brute of a ball that reared at him off a good length to first slip in the bowler?s first spell, while later Alex Loudon was also a victim of extra bounce as he launched into a loose drive well away from his body.

Jonathan Trott played back instead of forwards and was beaten by one that nipped back, while Jim Troughton was a victim of his own impatience. Tied down by the worthy Andy Bichel, he fell at the other end, failing to move his feet and trying to cut the ball far too hard.

By the time poor weather ended play 15 overs early, Knight was batting better than at any time this season. Although many of his first 50 came courtesy of guides through third man, he also began to unveil some deliciously sweet cover drives ? always a barometer for the rest of his game ? and at least provided some cheer from a Warwickshire perspective.

Earlier Shane Watson (283 deliveries, 24 fours and a six) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (151 balls, 13 fours) extended their overnight stand to 234 before a declaration ended the visitors? torment.

The inexperience of Warwickshire?s attack was exploited as the pair surpassed the previous record seventh-wicket stand (an unbeaten 205 between Matt Hayden and Shaun Udal at Southampton in 1997), taking the game ? and the Championship ? away from the Bears all the time.

Makhaya Ntini, nullified by the sluggish pitch, was crashed for three delightful off-side boundaries in an over as Mascarenhas reached his first century of the season, while Watson was quick to latch on to anything short, pulling Trott out of the attack and punishing Loudon?s inconsistent line.

Naqaash Tahir did swing the ball but at such a reduced pace that the batsmen had time to adjust, while the support bowlers performed well for periods, but lacked the consistency to apply any pressure.

Several of this team ? Powell and Tahir in particular ? don?t look match fit, but have been pressed into service because of a lack of other options. Though much of the talk at Edgbaston is about cost cutting, the squad will require reinforcing if it to challenge for honours.