Tino tries his Best but Hampshire look set for defeat

The visitors ended the day on 14-1 still 325 runs behind after the Red Rose amassed a total of 456 all out in reply to Hampshire’s miserable first innings score of 109.

The hosts resumed much where they left off in Sunday’s evening session with Haseeb Hameed and Luke Procter both watchful as they reached their respective half-centuries in compiling a decisive second-wicket partnership of 173.

It was teenager Hameed who fell first to the leg spin of Mason Crane, edging to slip in the last over before lunch for a painstaking 62 off 225 deliveries.

If the morning session had been all about contrition, the introduction of South African batsman Alviro Petersen after lunch saw the run rate increase dramatically as he dashed his way to 81 off 85 balls before holing out to Michael Carberry off the bowling of Tino Best.

A charged-up Best also accounted for Steven Croft four overs later after the Lancashire skipper edged to James Vince who pulled off a brilliant one-handed effort at first slip.

But at the other end it was Oldham-born Luke Procter who received the plaudits after reaching the second first class century of his career.

After tea, Lancashire looked to score quickly and Best profited, picking up the cheap wickets of Procter who finished on 137, Liam Livingstone for a duck and Jimmy Anderson bowled first ball, before Neil Wagner (37) and Simon Kerrigan (21 not out) helped bludgeon the Red Rose towards their final total.

Gutsy Best finished with five for 90 while Crane chipped in with three for 116 but the close of Lancashire’s innings left Hampshire with a nasty looking spell of 14 overs to face and Anderson with the new ball.

The inevitable happened and it was Jimmy Adams who edged the England Test star to Karl Brown at second slip for 0 to leave Hampshire hoping this Mancunian heatwave gives way to rain fast.