Simon Katich fell four runs short of his maiden Hampshire ton in his second first class innings for the county against Division 2 pace setters Gloucestershire.

Former Durham batsman Katich made an unbeaten 82 in the C&G defeat against Sussex a fortnight ago and was in fine form in Bristol yesterday before he dragged a ball from Ian Fisher on to his stumps as he attempted to lift the left-arm spinner over mid-wicket.

Until then he had looked well set for his first ton in the championship since his third for Durham in 2000.

Left-hander Katich edged a delivery from left-arm seamer Mike Smith just wide of a diving Mark Alleyne when he had made one, but it was a tricky half-chance.

The 27-year-old came to the crease in the eighth over with Hampshire 11-1 after Derek Kenway's miserable form continued.

Kenway was caught at gully, after getting an inside edge on to a ball that ballooned off his pad from veteran Smith.

Crawley struggled for fluency but after Katich had scored the first boundary of the day, through mid-wicket off the bowling of Jon Lewis in the 15th over, the runs began to flow from the Australian's bat.

Katich pulled the last ball of the same over to the boundary and was merciless with anything too short or too full after that.

Kiwi speedster Ian Butler was hammered for four successive boundaries in the 20th over with Katich displaying his full repertoire - drives on both sides of the wicket followed by a hook.

Katich reached his 50 with a single into the on-side off Alleyne, the 74th ball of an innings that was to include 17 boundaries.

The Australia A captain was at the crease for two and a half hours for his 96, a 131-ball knock that made batting look easy.

Crawley, in contrast, struggled on a good wicket on which he chose to bat after winning the toss. Crawley, who will be hoping to be in the England squad for the first Test against Zimbabwe when it is named this weekend, made his fourth championship 50 in five innings this season but was stuck on three for 11 overs at one stage, before his resilience shone through.

He was able to bring up the 100 partnership with Katich with his third boundary in the 35th over. He put on 142 with Katich, the dominant partner, and was at the crease for more than four hours for his 69, before he was caught at second slip as he drove at Butler outside off stump.

Robin Smith made an eight-ball duck, his first failure of the season, after mis-timing an off drive before Crawley finally departed.

Smith's dismissal - the former captain was caught in the extra cover/mid off region - brought Will Kendall to the crease.

Kendall, fresh from his 114 against Oxford University, made his first championship 50 of the season but was caught behind after putting on 103 for the fifth wicket with the in-form Nic Pothas. He had been dropped at gully off Butler when on 18 but the home debutant made Kendall his second victim in the second over with the new ball.

Pothas departed in bizarre fashion seven overs later - caught by wicketkeeper Jack Russell after the ball had bounced off second slip Alleyne.

His 107-ball 63 included eight boundaries and a six off Fisher over long on shortly after tea.