Hampshire lived to fight another day against champions Surrey at the Kia Oval but are still facing a heavy defeat after losing three top-order wickets in the 32 overs eventually bowled following overnight and early morning rain.
Resuming 177 runs behind at 31-2 in their second innings, Hampshire slid to 116-5 on the shortened third day of their County Championship fixture.
James Vince and Tom Prest were dismissed within four balls of each other after resisting for 20 overs in a gritty 46-run stand following the early loss of Nick Gubbins.
Prest, dropped head-high by Ollie Pope at second slip off Gus Atkinson on 22, had added only a single when he fell for 23 – this time caught in front of his face by Pope.
Vince, who needed on-field attention after being struck on the shoulder by a vicious Atkinson lifter, reached 26 before he was beaten by an inswinger from Kemar Roach and departed leg-before to leave Hampshire’s second innings in real trouble at 87-5.
Ironically, given the early gloom of the day, most of the single session had been played in bright sunshine but the Oval floodlights were on by the time Liam Dawson, on 18 not out, and Ben Brown, unbeaten on seven, saw out the final overs, with Surrey’s seamers still very much on top.
Play had finally begun at 16:30 BST after heavy overnight rain had ruled out any prospect of cricket before lunch and then further light showers in early afternoon had delayed further mopping up operations.
But it took Daniel Worrall only 10 balls to add to his overnight scalp of Ali Orr, with Gubbins edging one angled across him to second slip, where Pope fell to his right to scoop up a fine low catch.
Prest knuckled down and was soon into double figures with driven fours off Jordan Clark and Worrall as he and Vince did their best, for over an hour, to defy Surrey’s four-pronged pace attack.
