Hampshire clung on for a tense draw in their championsip opener at Worcestershire despite a 122-run stand between John Crawley and Robin Smith at New Road yesterday.

Four days of championship cricket came down to a Bank Holiday run chase after Worcestershire declared on 264 for nine, setting Hampshire 314 to win from 74 overs.

And Crawley and Smith gave Hampshire hope of pulling off a win after Nantie Hayward had claimed the early wickets of Derek Kenway and Jimmy Adams with only 13 on the board.

Adams played the last ball before lunch on to his stumps but Crawley and Smith rescued the situation during a partnership that took up the whole of the afternoon session before Crawley edged Kabir Ali in the first over after tea.

Crawley had looked in good touch. He needed 120 balls for his 67, which included ten fours, one of which brought up his fifty when he hit a straight drive to the rope after coming down the wicket to the off spin of Gareth Batty.

Smith tucked into South Africa Test bowler Hayward, glancing driving and pulling the quickie to the boundary.

But he succumbed to the medium pace of David Leatherdale within five overs of Will Kendall's exit, leaving Hampshire with 128 to win from 24 overs.

Dimi Mascarenhas and Nic Pothas put on 60 in 15 overs before the latter was caught in the covers, having been dropped by Graeme Hick who dived in vain to his left from second slip when the South African was on 42.

When Wasim was caught at deep mid-wicket three overs later Hampshire's chances went although the required run rate was still a shade over seven runs per over, as it had been when 72 were needed off the last ten with five wickets in hand.

But defeat was on the cards when a tumbling catch from Steve Rhodes ended Mascarenhas' brave knock in the next over.

That brought Alan Mullally to the crease and when Shaun Udal became Hayward's fifth victim of the innings and ninth of the match, he was joined by Ed Giddins.

Hampshire's last men had to hold out for the remianing eight balls and Alan Mullally faced the whole of the last over from Mark Harrity.

He had the chance to take a single off the penultimate ball but was enjoying his role as the senior batsman - he waved Giddins back to the non striker's end instead of taking the single.

That incensed Harrity enough to bowl his second bouncer of the over with the last ball of the match to the relief of Mullally and the Hampshire dressing room.

Worcestershire's sporting declaration had made the Bank Holiday finish a memorable one.

The home side were 187 for five overnight and Ben Smith, in his firts game as Worcestershire skipper, had declared midway through the morning session after the 87 runs were added in 20 overs for the loss of four wickets.

A regulation catch at first slip from Derek Kenway gave Wasim his sixth Hampshire wicket.

And substitute fielders Alex Morris and Chris Tremlett held on to chances at cover and long on, where Hayward perished after attempting to hit Udal for a second six in three balls.

Kabir Ali, dropped by Pothas off Wasim when on three, missed a straight one after attempting to slog Shaun Udal but honours finished even.

Well, almost. Worcestershire 11 points, Hampshire 10.