HAMPSHIRE failed to bounce back from their Cardiff abandonment despite another fine all-round Liam Dawson performance - against his former Essex teammates.

Discovering whether they will have to wait until next week to find out whether they have lost a point as a result of Sunday’s farce was bad enough.

But as that news was filtering through, Hampshire failed to maintain their weekend momentum.

They collapsed from 31-0 to 36-4 after winning the toss at The Ageas Bowl and lost by six wickets with eight overs to spare.

Dawson (85) and Will Smith (73) were outstanding, their 124-run partnership ensuring Hampshire at least had a total to defend.

Dawson has returned revitalised from his two-week Essex loan spell and was at his best against them.

He surpassed last week’s unbeaten 73 against Sussex in recording his highest one-day score against county opposition for the second time in eight days.

But 209 was never going to be enough on a very good batting surface.

The dismissal of Jimmy Adams (23) summed up Hampshire’s afternoon.

Two days after being struck on the head by Michael Hogan’s match-ending delivery, he stepped back on to his stumps to the first ball after Michael Carberry edged David Masters to backward point.

Having impressed in his first full season of first-class cricket, Jamie Porter took two big wickets in four balls on his one-day debut.

The 22 year-old produced a couple of useful off-cutters to bowl James Vince and have former Essex star Adam Wheater caught behind.

When Joe Gatting (17) drove to mid-on against the excellent 6ft 7in left-armer Topley (4-26), Hampshire were 68-5.

Thankfully the sixth-wicket pair of Smith and Dawson batted intelligently for more than 24 overs. Hopes were rising of a defendable total when Hampshire began the last ten overs on 190-5.

But Hampshire’s tail was exposed once Smith was caught behind top edging a cut (3-39).

Hampshire failed to bat out their last 5.1 overs after losing their last five wickets for 17 runs.

Any realistic hope of a win was ended by an opening stand of 122 from the first 23 overs between Mark Pettini (57) and Nick Browne (69).

Dawson was also excellent with the ball but was left with too much to do.

Hampshire bowling: Edwards 7-0-37-0, Bird 6-0-35-0, Wood 4-0-14-1, Crane 10-0-53-1, Dawson 10-0-40-1, Smith 5-0-24-1