IF Hampshire are to avoid an immediate return to the LV County Championship’s second division, their top-order batsmen will soon have to start performing.

After a two-week break from the rigours of the LV County Championship, the fragility of Hampshire’s batting was once again exposed by Warwickshire’s disciplined attack.

Having won the toss, it was hoped that the recent limited-overs successes would translate into a healthy first-innings score, writes Simon Walter.

But the problems that have haunted Hampshire all season resurfaced as they slipped to 102-5 before their middle order helped them to the close on 255-8 in the Ageas Bowl sunshine.

Not once have Hampshire gained maximum batting points this season and despite the best efforts of Adam Wheater (57) and Gareth Berg (42no) they will be doing well if they pass 300 in their first innings for only the fifth time in 12 matches.

The rot set in early against as Chris Woakes reduced Hampshire to 4-2 while beginning an excellent opening spell (6-4-5-2) with three successive maidens.

With Sean Terry left out and Liam Dawson recalled to the middle order, Jimmy Adams was re-united with Michael Carberry as his opening partner.

But the partnership did not last long. Adams was lbw without scoring at the beginning of Woakes’ second over and James Vince’s poor run also continued when he nicked the former England bowler to Varun Chopra at first slip for a single.

Carberry (36) at least put on 74 in 34 overs with Will Smith before he was caught down the leg side.

Smith (43) was brilliantly caught on the run by Jeetan Patel after upper cutting Boyd Rankin to third man.

And the recalled Dawson, lbw to Rikki Clarke for seven, failed to transfer his one-day form before Hampshire limped to tea on 146-5.

Gatting and Wheater showed some gumption, sharing a sixth-wicket stand of 92.

Gatting (43) hit Patel back over the off-spinner’s head for the day’s only six before mistiming the same bowler to short extra cover.

Rankin (3-45) found some extra bounce with the last ball before the second new cherry was taken to have Wheater caught in the gully.

Wheater had batted fluently and Berg adopted a similar approach.