Hampshire seamer James Tomlinson prepared to fill Chris Tremlett's bowling boots for the start of the forthcoming sea son with four first-innings wickets against Cardiff UCCE.

The 24-year-old ended last season with his first championship appearance for three years.

And with Tremlett injured and new overseas signing Stuart Clark in Australia's World Cup squad, he is set to enjoy an extended run.

Left armer Tomlinson is set to share the new ball with James Bruce when Hampshire begin their cham pionship campaign against newly-promoted Surrey a week on Wednesday, after being preferred to Billy Taylor for the only three-day friendly of pre-season.

He responded by taking 4-24 in Cardiff UCCE's first innings at the weekend in conditions more akin to the height of summer than mid-April.

Tomlinson, a former Cardiff UCCE player, had an opera tion to remove a spur of bone from his ankle during the win ter.

But he showed that he is now fully fit during a sun- drenched weekend at the Rose Bowl.

He said: "I was very pleased with the way the ball came out, it was swinging which was good and hopefully I'll play next week.

"I've got noth ing to lose and everything to gain. It's unfortunate for Chris that he's injured but with Stuart Clark not arriving for a few weeks there's a little window for me to show what I can do."

Hampshire manager Paul Terry is likely to select a different team for the first game of the season against Middlesex in the 50 overs-a-side Friends Provident Trophy on Sunday. But the team which is playing Cardiff UCCE, is likely to be that which faces Surrey in the championship opener at the Oval in nine days' time.

While Tomlinson received a confidence boost with his four wickets, Hampshire's batsmen have all enjoyed valuable time in the middle, not least last season's player of the year.

John Crawley gave the students a masterclass on Saturday by caressing 105 from 112 balls (17 fours, one six).

His century will not give him an early lead in the leading run scorer charts as, unlike the UCCEs at Loughborough, Durham, Oxford and Cambridge, Cardiff do not have first-class status.

On yesterday's evidence they are not likely to be granted it anytime soon.

Home debutant Michael Lumb and Nic Pothas were the only Hampshire batsmen not to make hay in the first innings but enjoyed valuable crease-time as an opening pair after Cardiff UCCE had been rolled out for 120 yesterday morning.

In his first match since his final Test appearance in January, Warne took the last three Cardiff UCCE wickets lbw to finish with 3-10.

Lumb then reached fifty from 54 balls before he was caught at the wicket, while Pothas, who qualifies to play for England next month, made 135 from 123 balls (16 fours, one six) before retiring.

The Cardiff UCCE attack was led by a former Hampshire second XI player - Morgan Rushbrook played four one day games for Tony Middleton's side in 2005 and is also a former SouthWilts teammate of Tomlinson.

It provided useful batting practice but at least the pick of the visitors' attack - seamer Simon Butler - could claim the wicket of Warne.

Hampshire's captain was caught at slip at the second attempt after going in at number four, but it needed a lucky wicket to dismiss Benham (53* and 36 from 32 balls).

Benham continued the form he showed at the end of last season before he was run out while backing up at the non striker's end.

While Tomlinson is set to start the season in place of Tremlett, Michael Brown is expected to play instead of Michael Carberry, who is out until May with a knee injury.

Brown survived a missed stumping and was also dropped on the way to his first-innings 67 before being bowled for 28 yesterday. But he remains the batsman most likely to open with Jimmy Adams at the Oval next week.