The Hampshire skipper briefly lifted hopes of an unlikely turnaround for his side when he grabbed two wickets in the first session of yesterday's final day.

But posting just 293 on the first day and then 248 in the second innings left Hampshire attempting to defend a target of just 188 on the final day as Nottinghamshire eased home.

Mascarenhas said:'The wicket was pretty flat so it was always going to be hard work.

'The first-innings batting cost us on the first day.

'We should have got over 400 on that wicket, a few guys got in and then got out.

'They bowled okay but it was bad batting. They were only 60 ahead but that was down to the lower order. It could have been a lot worse than it was.

'We need to improve our batting big time if we're going to compete with Lancashire, Sussex and Notts.

'The lads are going to have to start getting some big scores.'

And Mascarenhas has urged coach Paul Terry to find the right man to pep up the Hampshire squad as the search for a new overseas player intensifies.

Mascarenhas said: 'We definitely need an overseas player – a bowler or a batter to give us some strength in one of the departments.

'You always need a good overseas player because they're your banker to get you big runs or pick up wickets.

'We need a player of similar quality to Bondy – he was brilliant for us.
'It's a bonus if we get a real character to come in as well. His cricket is the most important thing.

'So we're just waiting to hear.'

Hampshire's slim hopes of bowling the visitors out on the final day were not helped by an injury to Nantie Hayward, who suffered a side strain, while Chris Tremlett was not called upon after the rain delay.

The England man had been the pick of the Hampshire bowlers in the first innings, but looked decidedly out of sorts in the morning session and didn't get another opportunity.

Mascarenhas said: 'Chris has bowled a lot for us so he just needed a bit of a rest. But Nantie is a bad loss for us because he has been really good throughout the Twenty20 and in this game.'

Coach Paul Terry said: 'I was hoping the weather might save us, but it's disappointing when you have to rely on the weather to do you a favour.

'We didn't get enough runs in the first innings – or the second innings for that matter because it was a pretty slow, flat wicket.'