HAMPSHIRE suffered two batting collapses in a day after being asked to follow on for the second time in three matches.

After resuming on 86-3 in reply to Worcestershire’s 478, Hampshire collapsed to 183 all out due to a combination of Saeed Ajmal’s craft, Joe Leach’s stout-hearted medium-fast bowling - and poor batting.

They were 164-6 at stumps, still 131 runs behind their nearest rivals at the foot of the LV County Championship’s first division. It was something for Hampshire, but by no means enough, that James Vince and Will Smith made half-centuries in the first innings.

Vince (56) was twice out without playing a shot, the second time for a duck as Ajmal took the first of three wickets to fall in consecutive overs.

Playing only his fourth first-class match since being banned by the ICC for having a suspect bowling action, the former Pakistan leg-spinner took 5-28 from 17 overs in Hampshire’s first innings, before dismissing Vince in the second.

In all, Hampshire lost 13wickets the day and as much as Worcestershire bowled with honesty and intensity - and a lot of guile in Ajmal’s case - this was too many on a dry but not impossible batting surface.

They almost got through the first hour unscathed, but when Vince misjudged the first ball of a new spell by Leach (4-75), the slide was under way.

Ajmal took wickets in successive overs, Adam Wheater (1) giving a return chance and Joe Gatting (4) sweeping to deep square leg, before Leach bowled Gareth Berg first ball.

Smith made the most of some lower-order support but was left stranded on 51 after scoring all of the 31 added with last man Jackson Bird.

Ajmal accounted for Danny Briggs (7) and Brad Wheal, the latter caught and bowled at the second attempt for a duck. Hampshire followed on 295 behind when Bird was finally trapped in front by Leach.

After being kept back for the second innings Jack Shantry (3-33) spearheaded Worcestershire’s victory charge. Jimmy Adams (6) was Shantry’s 50th first-class wicket of the season and the left-armer ended a partnership of 65 when a bat-pad catch to the wicketkeeper accounted for Sean Terry (37).

Vince became Ajmal’s sixth victim of the match when he was bowled fourth ball. And Michael Carberry (32) chopped on in Shantry’s next over. Half of Hampshire’s side was gone for 97 when Wheater (14) was caught behind off Charlie Morris.

Smith (29) dug in again before giving Brett D’Oliveira a return catch. Gatting (28)was equally stubborn and will begin the final day with Berg (12)