SHANE Warne wants more runs from Hampshire's top five.

Warne challenged the county's specialist batsmen to score runs more consistently as a unit than the rest of the side at the start of the season.

But so far the bottom six have scored 1,149 championship runs at an average of 26.11, while Michael Brown, Derek Kenway, John Crawley/Lawrie Prittipaul, Michael Clarke and Will Kendall have hit 1,279 runs at 24.13 runs per wicket.

Warne said: "We need a little bit more out of our top batters and it's time for them to start making some runs in the next few weeks. We have a competition between the top five and the bottom six - and the bottom six has been winning.

"Opening the batting here at the Rose Bowl is not easy but Michael Brown and Derek Kenway have got us off to a couple of good starts where we've been 0 for 50 in two or three games.

"But we need a bit more out of them, Will Kendall and Lawrence Prittipaul. A big one from Michael Clarke is just around the corner - he got 70 last week - and it's been good to have John Crawley back.

"He's the rock, everyone bats around him."

The Rose Bowl track has improved this season but Hampshire's first-choice batting quintet is likely to contribute far more on better wickets away from home in July and August.

After next week's visit from Yorkshire, Hampshire will have played six of their eight championship home games before the end of June so the following six will all be looking forward to the forthcoming four-day matches at Trent Bridge, Cardiff and Taunton.

But runs at the Rose Bowl against Somerset and Yorkshire will be their priority for now.

MICHAEL BROWN

The highlight of the former Middlesex player's career was the match-winning, unbeaten 102 he scored in the win against Leicestershire at the Rose Bowl in April. Since then he has done his job in occupying the crease at the top of the order without scoring big runs.

DEREK KENWAY

Is the only one of Hampshire's first-choice top five not to have been out for a duck this season, but since scoring his seventh first-class hundred against Derbyshire in May, he has made five successive scores in the 20s.

JOHN CRAWLEY

Showed that he is hitting his best form against Essex when he scored 97 at Chelmsford in his second championship match since recovering from his knee injury.

If he stays fit Hampshire will benefit.

MICHAEL CLARKE

'Pup' has two 50s from 11 championship innings but expect him to improve on that as he becomes more familiar with English conditions.

WILL KENDALL

His place is under threat following the arrival of Shane Watson, who is expected to become the seventh player of the season to bat in Hampshire's top five against Somerset tomorrow.

LAWRIE PRITTIPAUL

Played three games while John Crawley was recovering from his knee injury without scoring the big runs that would have given him a chance of a regular place.