HAMPSHIRE batsman Will Smith is looking forward to a "fascinating" final day against his former Durham teammates.

The former Durham captain made 85 as Hampshire won their first LV County Championship batting point in four matches, before the visitors closed day three at The Ageas Bowl on 61-1 - a lead of 175.

With Durham desperate to get back in title contention after back-to-back defeats and Hampshire badly in need of a win if they are to avoid relegation, a target is sure to be set, hopefully before lunch.

Smith said: "It would be nice to be a bit closer and have them two or three down, but at least we’re still in the hunt.

"It’s going to be a bit cat and mouse but if they want to set something for us to either go for or give them enough overs to bowl us out they’re going to have to try and score [quickly]. That might give us a few wicket-taking chances so it's going to be a fascinating day all round."

After beginning the penultimate day on 119-3, 302 behind, Hampshire made 307 in reply to Durham's 421.

It is their biggest first-innings total in four matches following scores of 147, 176 and 183 in the defeats to Somerset, Middlesex and Worcestershire.

Smith insisted "runs are runs whoever they come against" but he was desperate for his first century of the season and it would surely have been all the sweeter against the county that released him 18 months ago.

"I set myself up to bat a long period of time and was gutted to get out when I did," he said. "I wanted plenty more, not just 15!"

Smith put on 84 with Michael Carberry (73), who battled for more than three hours before edging Ryan Pringle’s off-spin to Paul Collingwood at slip.

Joe Gatting batted fluently, hitting Pringle for six over long-on as he contributed 43 to a fifth-wicket stand of 65 before nicking the first delivery with the second new ball, from Chris Rushworth.

Smith, who is making his 150th first-class appearance (including 93 for Durham), was finally out three overs before tea.

He had found another willing partner in home debutant Lewis McManus and looked set for his 17th first-class hundred.

But after nearly five hours at the crease he was trapped lbw by the leg spin of Scott Borthwick. Hampshire hit 11 runs from the first three balls after tea before Rushworth showed why he is the leading wicket-taker in the country by taking the last four Hampshire wickets.

McManus (25) edged to gully when the Durham seamer found some extra bounce. Then Rushworth took three wickets in four balls. He trapped Jackson Bird lbw before uprooting James Tomlinson’s off stump two balls later.

With the first ball of his next over, Gareth Berg drove straight to mid-on for a run-a-ball 31.

Mark Stoneman made an unbeaten 39 as Durham extended their lead, but the day's highlight came four overs before the close.

Liam Dawson'sone-handed diving catch at second slip gave Mason Crane the wicket of fellow debutant Graham Clark (15) during another exciting spell (5-3-7-1) on a surface increasingly favourable to the young leg-spinner.