SKIPPER Robin Smith, branded his team's performance as "unprofessional" as Hampshire astonishingly threw away victory in their Norwich Union League tussle with Middlesex, and possibly with it, promotion.

With three overs left, Hampshire were cruising down easy street - Middlesex required an imposing 32 runs from three overs chasing Hampshire's tricky total of 220-9, with strike bowlers Alan Mullally and Chris Tremlett about to enter the fray.

But with batsmen Simon Cook and James Dalrymple at the crease suddenly the picture changed. Mullally's first three balls of the 43rd over were wides, including one delivery which skipped over the boundary rope. The England international was hit for a straight six by Cook as his embarrassing nine-ball over conceded 19 runs.

That left Middlesex, with just two wins all season, requiring a tricky 13 runs from two overs. Tremlett's first ball flew got an edge and bypassed wicketkeeper Derek Kenway for four.

Dalrymple then sneaked a single, evading Tremlett's underarm throw at the bowler's stumps, before Cook plundered three runs, one off an overthrow, prompting howls of derision from the Hampshire crowd.

With his next ball, a frustrated Tremlett promptly bowled Nairobi-born Dalrymple for a damaging 23, as part of a 65 run partnership in six overs.

Up stepped David Nash, and Tremlett's full-blooded delivery flashed past Kenway for four byes - 12 runs off the over, an astonishing 31 runs conceded off two, and leaving the scores tied.

Mullally stormed in from the Pavilion End, attempted to bowl a yorker to Cook, who picked the delivery off his legs and the ball squirmed square for four runs.

It was a disastrous defeat for Hampshire, who now go into their final match at Sussex next Sunday knowing they have to win and hope other results go their way to win promotion from Division Two.

"This defeat will take a while to sink in," said Smith. "I am very disappointed since we dominated the game for 87 overs, but we didn't play very well towards the end."

There was an encouraging unbeaten knock of 57 from John Francis, who shared a 68-run fourth wicket partnership with Giles White (59).

Middlesex's Test batsmen Owais Shah threatened early in the Middlesex innings with a hard-hitting 69, and was offered useful support by Ed Joyce, but the Londoners were always behind the clock until that fateful end.

It was Hampshire's final game at the Rose Bowl this summer, and Smith admitted: "We were very unprofessional towards the end.

"There are no excuses for what happened. Alan should be able to cope with the pressure.

"We now have to do our best to win at Hove, but we don't deserve to get promotion if we perform like we did today."