by Mike Vimpany

Hampshire beat Dorset's Minor Counties cricketers by 57 runs in last night's solitary warm-up at Bashley before next Friday's potentially demanding NatWest T20 Blast opener against Middlesex at Uxbridge.

They posted 174-8 before dismissing Dorset for 117 in a low key affair played under inhospitable wet and cloudy New Forest skies.

Only a few hundred spectators braved the autumnal weather, many huddling under the trees and sheltering under blankets in the bushes.

Despite the unpleasant conditions, Hampshire's Director of Cricket Giles White was pleased with the workout.

"It was very handy to get a competitive t20 under our belts before the competition proper begins and virtually everyone in our side got into the game with either the bat or ball," he said.

Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry (19) set off an ten runs an over before Dorset's spin bowlers pegged the assault.

Carberry was caught behind by Chris Park at 30 at the end of the second over, after which Adams (43) - with three big sixes - and Adam Wheatear (29) pushed the total on to 72-2 in the eighth over.

Sean Ervine (19) kept the scoreboard ticking, but when Dorset turned to spin left-armer Robbie Pack (2-29), Josh Digby (2-33) and Jem Warner (1-24) stemmed the run flow.

By the 15th over, Hampshire were 120-6 and needed a late flurry from Gareth Andrew (24), Ryan Stevenson and Will Smith to get their score to 174-8.

The total was always likely to be beyond Dorset as they batted in fading light and in increasingly poor conditions.

In a competitive environment, the umpires would probably have taken the players off.

Luke Webb (30), now plying his trade in Oxfordshire club cricket, top scored, but faced one fierce over from former West Indies fast bowler Tino Best who, in a bid to warm his shivering soul, wrapped the Oxford MCCU prospect one painful blow on the right wrist and then almost yorked him with the next.

Leg spinner Mason Crane took 2-25 and Ryan Stevenson, with his first competitive bowl of the summer following a back injury, returned 2-19 as Dorset made 117 all out.