HAMPSHIRE made Worcestershire battle before they could celebrate celebrate promotion to the First Division of the Frizzell County Championship on Saturday.

In the end, Worcestershire made it by defeating Hampshire by 101 runs at the Rose Bowl.

Chasing a target of 413 for what would have been only their second win of the season, Hampshire were all out for a gallant 311 with just over 26 overs to spare.

Gareth Batty, left out by England on the first morning of the Oval Test, made his journey to the south coast worthwhile with figures of four for 94, to provide him with seven wickets in the match.

Worcestershire were made to work hard for their ninth win of the season after Hampshire resumed at 91 for two in their second innings, still requiring a further 322 to delay Worcestershire's celebrations.

Matt Mason had Derek Kenway caught at the wicket for 44 with the total at 121 but it was Worcestershire's only success of the morning session.

Hampshire captain John Crawley and Lawrence Prittipaul put on 92 for the fourth wicket as Hampshire began to entertain outside chances of a win of their own.

The pair took Hampshire to 213 before Kabir Ali, another left out of the England party, had Prittipaul caught at the wicket.

Mason returned to dismiss Nic Pothas and Dimitri Mascarenhas but the prize wicket remained that of former England batsman Crawley.

Crawley was within sight of his first century since April 2002 at 88 when he sliced a delivery from Batty onto his middle stump.

Crawley hit ten boundaries in 154 balls and his departure signalled the beginning of the end of the Hampshire resistance.

There was a delay while Shaun Udal and Chaminda Vaas put on 50 in 13 overs for the eighth wicket before Jamie Pipe collected his third catch of the innings off Batty to get rid of Udal.

Vaas was unbeaten with 25 as Batty ripped out the last two batsmen, Chris Tremlett and James Tomlinson, as Hampshire finally capitulated.

Worcestershire's victory, their promotion confirmed, keeps them on course to go up from the Second Division as champions while Mason provided capable support for Batty with figures of three for 66 as Hampshire's resistance petered out.

Vaas was badly missed when on five after edging Nantie Hayward to second slip with a normally reliable Graeme Hick putting down the waist-high chance.

Pipe also failed to cling on to a chance offered by Udal as he ran back from his position behind the stumps, again off Hayward, but it did not matter in the end.