MASON Crane continues to have similar effect on Hampshire as Imran Tahir in 2008.

The leg-spin prodigy bowled himself into the Hampshire record books while setting up what should be a second LV County Championship win of the season.

Crane became the youngest bowler to take five wickets in a Championship innings on Saturday, when his 5-35 reduced Warwickshire to 125 all out and gave Hampshire a first-innings lead of 160.

James Vince's unbeaten 125 (190 balls, 13 fours and two sixes) is Hampshire’s first century by a top-six batsman in the Championship this season – and extended their lead to 443 before he declared eight overs after lunch on the penultimate day.

Warwickshire will begin the final day on 161-6, still 282 behind.

Crane is yet to take a wicket in the final innings, but his first-innings heroics have given Hampshire a first division lifeline.

Having impressed on his Championship debut in he draw against Durham a fortnight ago, he excelled against Warwickshire.

His introduction to the Hampshire side has been the catalyst for the recent upturn in form, in the same way that fellow leg-spinner Tahir turned Hampshire from relegation certs midway through the 2008 season to outsiders for the title going into the last game.

The similarities with 2008 do not end with the introduction of a match-winning leg-spinner. As Hampshire’s honorary archivist, Dave Allen, points out in the latest ‘Ageas Bowl Round-Up’, there are some uncanny parallels.

Hampshire have had a mid-season captaincy change (it was Dimi Mascarenhas for Nic Pothas in 2008), should complete only their second win in their 12th match of the season, still have Durham, Somerset, Yorkshire and Notts to play - and will once again end the season at Trent Bridge.

No-one is expecting Hampshire to finish third, as they did seven years ago, but the portents are good for first division survival.

Especially with the batsmen now finding some form.

The sight of Vince back to his best against the red ball was as encouraging as the second-day turn extracted by Crane.

There is no better sight in county cricket than Vince at his best and Hampshire supporters were treated to a Super Sunday from their captain after he and Michael Carberry both resumed on 34.

Vince shared in fluent stands of 180 with Carberry (91) and 79 in ten overs with Joe Gatting, whose 27-ball 31* helped give Hampshire a day and a half to bowl Warwickshire out again.

Boyd Rankin took the only wickets to fall, having Carberry and Will Smith (2) caught behind, as Hampshire declared on 283-3 after resuming the final day on 82-1.

Any chance of Warwickshire getting the 444 they needed was blown away as they collapsed from 31-0 to 95-5.

Gareth Berg (1-16) made the initial breakthrough and Jackson Bird (1-33) bowled Laurie Evans with an off-cutter before Liam Dawson (2-34) continued his renaissance along with Fidel Edwards (2-30).