IT was always going to be difficult for Hampshire to follow up their first LV County Championship win of the season without James Vince and Fidel Edwards.

But even with their best batsman on England duty and their most threatening bowler at the Caribbean Premier League, Hampshire will have hoped for better than a nine-wicket defeat at home to Somerset.

To add to their frustration, Vince was left out of England’s T20 side an hour after Somerset had sent Hampshire back into the first division’s bottom three.

It was always going to take a monumental effort to salvage a result after beginning the third day on 41-2, 158 behind, after following on.

With Sean Ervine handicapped by a fractured finger, Hampshire slipped from 64-2 to 69-5 before they were finally bowled out for 262.

Ervine bravely took to the field when Hampshire were effectively 45-9. But Gareth Berg, having made a fluent 86, soon became Michael Bates’ third victim in six overs to leave Somerset needing only 64 to win.

Not for the first time, Danny Briggs dismissed Marcus Trescothick, trapping the Somerset captain lbw.

But former Hampshire batsman Johann Myburgh hit the winning runs with a straight six as the visitors reached their target in just 17 overs.

At least Berg, Hampshire’s player of the season so far, showed some stomach for a fight.

Nightwatchman James Tomlinson faced 42 balls for his five runs - but then Peter Trego took two big wickets in three overs. Michael Carberry (28) was caught in the gully trying to cut and Dawson (four), having cover-driven Trego for his only scoring shot, was frustrated to be trapped lbw. 

Will Smith and Adam Wheater ensured no further loss before lunch (143-5), with the latter’s run-a-ball 49 providing a timely reminder of why Hampshire signed him as a replacement for Michael Bates.

He dominated the sixth-wicket partnership of 75, often throwing caution to the wind before bottom-edging an attempted pull against the excellent Craig Overton (4-57) soon after lunch.

Smith (37) was more circumspect before mistiming a drive against slow left-armer Abdur Rehman to deep mid-off.

Berg’s introduction was confirmation the blow to Ervine’s hand was worse than first feared.

Fortunately Hampshire’s player of the season so far followed his 99 at Sussex by top scoring for the second time in this match. But Bates had the last word, taking three catches, to ensure a straightforward chase.