Warwickshire 398 (Yates 109, Hain 90, Mousley 77, Smith 51, Abbott 4-51) beat Hampshire 115 (Hannon-Dalby 3-14) and 154 (Suthar 4-52) by an innings and 129 runs

Warwickshire kept pace with the Rothesay County Championship title contenders as they thrashed relegation-doomed Hampshire by an innings in three days.

Warwickshire’s 22 points mean they stay in the super-tight title race with Somerset and Nottinghamshire – jumping up above the latter into second.

Hampshire, still with just three batting points this season, are rock bottom and sit 32 points adrift, and could have their relegation to Division Two confirmed next week at Trent Bridge.

After taking six wickets in 23 overs on the second evening, Warwickshire had their eyes firmly on an innings victory – the question was whether Hampshire could provide some backbone.

The answer was fairly swift. They lost their last four remaining first-innings wickets in exactly an hour, after a delayed start.

As the previous evening had been, it was a team effort with the ball – with only Chris Woakes of their accurate attack not adding to their scalp list.

Indian spinner Suthar utilised a pitch which offered plenty of turn by pinning James Fuller lbw, while Ethan Bamber mopped things up, encouraging a thin edge out of Ben Brown and a low drive to midwicket out of Kyle Abbott.

It was the fourth Championship match in a row that Hampshire had been bowled out for under 200 in the first innings, let alone the 250 they need for a bonus point.

The second innings wasn’t much prettier for the hosts – who have had a week to forget, after the U-turn signing of controversial New Zealander Scott Kuggeleijn.

Both openers were cone inside six overs as Woakes joined the wicket-taking party in style.

The former England fast bowler delivered a nip backing jaffa to bowl Ali Orr before Nick Gubbins edged to second slip at head height.

Toby Albert and Jake Lehmann stuck around manfully and looked set in until Lehmann was run out after a stand of 66, before Albert edged to slip.

Ben Mayes came out and played some gorgeous shots after stoic defences before he was stumped as the floodgates opened.

Neal was lbw, James Fuller edged to slip, before Hannon-Dalby produced a searing in-swinger to bowl Currie, and pinned Eddie Jack in front.

Warwickshire’s three-day victory was confirmed when Abbott chipped to cover as Suthar returned four for 52 and give Warwickshire a big boost in their hopes of winning the Championship for the first time since 2021.