HAMPSHIRE regained a place in the sun at the top of Division 2 of the Cricinfo County Championship as Neil Johnson finally emerged from the shadows of Shane Warne.

A 47-run victory which puts Hampshire back on top - even if it is only temporarily until Middlesex and Warwickshire sort out their business - owed a lot to the Zimbabwean all-rounder.

His second innings 86 was not only the top score in the match but contributed precious runs to Hamp-shire's 210-run lead, which Johnson then ate into with two key wickets.

And Hampshire skipper Robin Smith was first to pay tribute to him: "He's certainly my man of the match. I'm delighted for him because he still feels he's living in the shadow of Warnie to an extent.

"He won us the game by getting us into a position where we had a 200-run lead, and during the game he took some important wickets," said Smith who also paid tribute to 19-year-old paceman Chris Tremlett (pictured above) who blew away the Durham tail and wrapped up a tense victory by taking the last four wickets.

"He was absolutely superb and showed great nerve and it was a wonderful performance from a very talented young player," said Smith

Just like the two previous days, the pendulum of initiative swung back and forth.

At 134-7, Hampshire's overnight lead was just 114 but not for the first time this season, the tail wagged like a mongrel's outside a kind-hearted butcher's shop as the last three wickets added 125 runs.

At the heart of it was Johnson, whose unbeaten 86 contained some sweetly timed drives and meaty cuts in a 134-ball innings which contained 12 fours.

Shaun Udal contributed a precious 28 in an eighth wicket stand of 84 in 28 overs, and Alex Morris and Tremlett were content to play supporting roles to Johnson as Hampshire stretched their lead to 210 by the time Simon Brown bowled Tremlett.

On a wicket of variable bounce which never really gave batsmen total confidence, Durham, to their credit, decided attack was the best form of defence. Determined not to be picked off faffing about, they set off in pursuit and after Morris had made the initial breakthrough, followed up Mascarenhas maintaining his remarkable trot of dismissing the opposition overseas player when he had Martin Love snapped up at slip by Johnson.

But Durham grabbed back the initiative as Jon Lewis and Martin Speight pieced together a threatening 40-run partnership before Johnson dug one in at Lewis who could only fend it off his hip to Lawrie Prittipaul at square leg.

Johnson then bowled Speight, who has been a thorn in Hampshire's side in his previous incarnation with Sussex.

Advantage Hampshire. But Nicky Peng soon brought it back to deuce and at tea, it was advantage Durham at 138-5, just 73 runs short.

Durham still believed that to surrender was to die and Danny Law was caught on the boundary by Derek Kenway off Shaun Udal as they pursued the target.

The key to it was Peng, Tremlett's England Under-19 team-mate during the winter. Tremlett deprived him of two partners in the same over when he uprooted Andrew Pratt's off stump and then took a return catch off Ian Hunter.

Peng had little alternative but to try and carry the fight to Hampshire but he was gulled into the trap set him by Mascarenhas, who fed him a short one and then celebrated as Peng pulled it straight into Giles White's hands at long-leg.

The wrap-up was fairly swift, thanks to Tremlett who with successive deliveries first had Brown wafting airily outside off-stump and then had Hatch taken down the left side by Adie aymes.

Hatch walked off sullenly indicating to umpire Ken Palmer that the ball had brushed his shoulder, but it was game, set and match to Hampshire.