SHANE WARNE captained Hampshire to a convincing 193-run win at Edgbaston, and then admitted: "That is our best yet".

Hampshire have responded to a draw and a loss in their opening two championship games by winning successive matches against Middlesex and now Warwickshire since Warne's return.

And after yesterday's emphatic victory against 2004 champions Warwickshire, which propelled Hampshire to second place behind Sussex, Warne admitted that he could not think of a better four days as the county's captain.

Warne said: "Notts last year at Trent Bridge in a rain-affected match was an unbelievable victory, but as far as hard-fought four-day cricket goes, you don't get much better than that.

"We were exceptional.

"Everyone chipped in and Warwickshire are a very good side.

"They'll be challenging for the title at the end of the season so to win in their own backyard was a great effort, especially as Sussex have won three out of four, which made this a must-win game."

Warwickshire captain Heath Streak, the former Hampshire overseas player, won the toss and fielded, but Michael Carberry (102) responded by putting on 113 for the first wicket with Jimmy Adams as Hampshire amassed 405.

Warne continued: "We would have batted first anyway, that's not having a go at Streaky, but the history of the ground is that it turns pretty good here.

"Having said that, given that we were sent in when it was swinging around, and still got maximum batting points, was excellent.

"One of the things we're trying to improve is our first innings scores and Carbs and Jimmy set the platform and we never lost two wickets together.

"We wanted to get to 400 as quickly as we could, we were a bit slower than we wanted to be, due partly to good bowling and the fact that Creepy (John Crawley) was crook."

Warne, clutching his shoulder with an ice pack after bowling 33 overs for his 2-58, had recorded 5-52 in the first innings as Warwickshire were dismissed for 217, 38 runs short of the total needed to avoid the follow on.

But Warne decided against enforcing it. He explained: "I wanted the bowlers to have a bit of rest and we still had time to bowl them out."