Hampshire 222 for 1 for 0 trail Worcestershire 403 for 5 dec (Mitchell 142*, Cox 69*) by 180 runs
Scorecard

Daryl Mitchell and Ben Cox tightened Worcestershire's grip on their LV=Championship match with bottom-placed Hampshire on a rain-truncated day at the Ageas Bowl.

No play was possible until 4pm and in the 40 overs allowed, Mitchell and Cox put together an unbroken stand of 114 for the sixth wicket to enable Mitchell to declare with Worcestershire 181 ahead.

Resuming at 221 for 3 in response to Hampshire's first innings total of 222 made in 79 overs, Mitchell and his team-mates wasted no time when the weather finally allowed them back into action.

New Zealander Colin Munro lifted Sean Ervine's medium pace over the midwicket boundary for six during a stand of 53 for the fourth wicket.

Hampshire were hampered by the loss through finger injuries of wicketkeeper Adam Wheater and slip fielder Will Smith but it was Wheater's young replacement, Lewis McManus who contributed to Hampshire's first breakthrough of the day at 267.

Spin bowler Danny Briggs, the pick of a struggling Hampshire attack, induced Munro to edge behind for 34 which also included six fours.

Newcomer Joe Clarke, on his Championship debut, got off the mark with a four off Gareth Berg but had made only 6 when the same combination of substitute McManus and Briggs accounted for him at 289.

But that only brought Cox to the crease and there was no respite for Hampshire as the pair took Worcestershire past bonus point-gathering landmarks.

Mitchell reached his first century of the season in the 75th over from the 249th ball he faced and Cox got to his half-century soon afterwards from 53 balls.

Mitchell was 142 not out from 303 balls and having hit 17 fours when he decided to declare. Cox was 69 not out from 65 balls in an innings which included eight fours and was marginally the more aggressive of the sixth wicket pair.

At that stage Worcestershire were 403 for 5 from 96 overs, a decisive lead gained with a full day left to play.

Hampshire openers Jimmy Adams and Liam Dawson had three overs to negotiate against Charlie Morris and Joe Leach which they achieved in reducing the deficit by a single, but Hampshire face a huge task in avoiding defeat.

Briggs took the only wickets to fall on the third day to finish with 2 for 67 and Berg ended with 2 for 66 but Hampshire were unable to exploit a wicket still tinged with green.