Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams is backing Michael Carberry to return to form in style. The England batsman was out for four and six as Hampshire drew their rain-affected first LV County Championship match of the season against Worcestershire at The Ageas Bowl.

Carberry was also out for single-figure scores in his last three innings of pre-season, during a week in which he slammed the England management for the treatment he received in Australia.

But Adams reckons he will bounce back soon.

“If Carbs gets those out of the way, a couple of teams will be on the wrong end of some serious batting from him,” he said.

“It hasn’t quite happened for him in the last week but that can happen against the new ball in April.

“He needs a bit of luck up front. He’s a quality player and at some point we’ll see him bashing it everywhere.

“For some of us it takes time to rediscover form but with Carbs it’s a case of when, not if. I remember Jacques Kallis once bagging a pair and then in the next innings he got 200!

“Carbs is one of those guys, he’ll just crack on to the next game. If he’s in at lunch at Bristol [on Sunday], Gloucestershire could be in for some punishment.”

Carberry was out for his fifth successive single-figure score, when he nicked Moeen Ali’s off-spin to first slip after Worcestershire made 350-7 declared in reply to Hampshire’s 263.

Matt Coles (3-58) was the pick of the Hampshire attack, but Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell hit 172 (307 balls, 23 fours) before the home side reached 27-1 as the visitors restored their over rate.