SHANE WARNE took his first PPP Healthcare County Championship wicket this morning as Hampshire looked to present Somerset with as much of a batting nightmare as they experienced themselves yesterday.

Warne left Somerset struggling on 23-3 when he had Piran Holloway snapped up by stand-in wicketkeeper Derek Kenway who seems able to do little wrong in this match. Kenway (pictured) agonisingly missed out on a second Championship century yesterday - but helped Hampshire recover to 232.

Warne's introduction to the championship ended with a three-ball goose-egg and being given the new ball in Somerset's reply.

And, although two Somerset wickets fell to spin by the end, neither went to Warne but to Shaun Udal who has apparently found a new lease of life with the Blonde Bombshell at the other end and will pick up titbits in his wake as sure as Eric Cantona's gulls following the kipper fleet, or whatever it was.

If Udal claimed the end of the day with two dismissals all his own work - bowling Marcus Trescothick and holding a return catch off Andy Caddick - then the rest belonged to Kenway and Caddick. Caddick pressed his claims as England's sharpest pace spearhead with 5-62 and, immediately after lunch, threatened to run through Hampshire's rearguard. A 16-ball spell brought him three wickets for two runs, all on leg-before nods from umpire John Steele, with Graham rose making it four leg-before dismissals from the City End.

Caddick was aided and abetted, as were other Somerset bowlers, by poor shot selection from Hampshire batsmen who should know better by now. Jason Laney got himself in, and then got himself out with a reckless waft, while Robin Smith tried to cut a ball from Rose that was too full. Warne played all around a straight one.

It was Hampshire's youngest batsman who showed the maturity his elders and betters lacked. There's little doubt Kenway's got all the toys at his disposal as 16 crisply struck boundaries hinted. First-team coach Jimmy Cook has nagged away at him like a fishwife to match them with application and concentration.

More than that, Kenway marshalled those around him, especially Alex Morris and Simon Renshaw.

Kenway batted for four hours and, while he was in the middle, Hampshire gleaned 163 precious runs. Best support came from Morris and Renshaw, the last two wickets providing 109 runs in two and a half hours of stubborn resistance that posted question marks over what had gone on before.

Renshaw almost nursed Kenway to his century, but, having faced 40 deliveries before his only scoring shot - a powerful back-foot cut off Caddick - the England man tucked him up. It left Kenway with a quick change of gloves as he swapped batting mitts for keeper's gauntlets. So much for Hampshire's ploy of dropping him down the order so that he could rest up between the two duties!

He couldn't even 'rest' by standing back to the seamers for the remaining 14 overs but had to concentrate on standing up to Warne and Udal.

You can bet he got a decent night's kip last night.

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