Hampshire are homing in on the LV County Championship Division 2 title.

They finished the second day of their ‘must win’ visit to Cardiff with a massive 360-run lead over Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium.

When play resumes this morning, Hampshire have James Vince at the crease and seven second innings wickets in hand with which to bat themselves into an unassailable position against the Welsh county.

Having recovered from 53-5 to reach 357 all out, Hampshire bowled Glamorgan out for 172 in two sessions yesterday before racing to 175-3 in their second innings.

Irrespective of whether Essex beat already promoted Worcester – as appears likely at Chelmsford – Hampshire will be champions if they bowl Glamorgan out a second time.

Left-arm seamer Chris Wood, who removed four of Glamorgan’s top five before and immediately after lunch, was Hampshire’s bowling hero, while Jimmy Adams crashed-banged a quick fire 91 before close of play to put his side firmly in the driving seat. Operating from the River Taff end, Matt Coles struck an immediate blow for Hampshire by bowling Will Bragg off his third ball.

But former South Africa Test left-hander Jacques Rudolph took the fight to Hampshire, hitting an attractive five-boundary 29 before Chris Wood yorked him.

It was the first of a four-wicket haul by Wood, who rearranged former Bournemouth batsman Chris Cooke’s stumps two balls later to leave the Welsh county 50-3.

Skipper Mark Wallace steadied the ship and, with Jim Allenby a reliable partner, saw the hosts through to 100-3 at lunch.

But just when their 62-run partnership seemed to be flourishing, Wood removed both Allenby and Wallace in consecutive overs from the Cathedral Road end.

He had Allenby (29) smartly picked up at gully by Will Smith, and in his next over bowled the defiant Wallace (51) shortly after the Glamorgan captain completed his half-century.

At 119-5 Hampshire had broken the back of the fragile Glamorgan batting.

The last six wickets were to fall for 60 runs, Coles removed rookie pair Aneurin Donald and David Lloyd in quick succession.

Imran Tahir managed the ‘statutory’ spinner’s one over before lunch, but had to wait patiently in the wings during the afternoon session.

But, when Adams introduced him, his impact was effective – trapping Dean Cosker (4) leg before with a googly.

Graham Wagg (23) showed some overdue fight from a limp tail end, but he too was baffled by the leg spinner, who got a second leg before verdict from umpire Graham Lloyd.

The end was nigh for Glamorgan, who folded to 172 all out when Australian pace bowler Michael Hogan went to ‘upper cut’ James Tomlinson and was taken above his head by Sean Ervine at first slip.

With only five sessions completed, plenty of time to spare and a favourable next two-day weather forecast for South Wales, Hampshire – 185 ahead – opted not to enforce the follow-on.

They chose instead to bat Glamorgan completely out of the game – and by stumps were well on the way to achieving their goal.

Will Smith hit 39 in a lively 79-run start but, after Liam Dawson had departed to a straight ball that turned, it was Adams who really put the Glamorgan bowlers to the sword.

He hit two sixes and ten fours in a powerful 91, sending a succession of back-foot boundaries screaming through the covers as he raced past 11,000 career runs.

But, with his hundred nine runs away, Adams drilled a head-high catch to Bragg at short mid-wicket.

Vince, one of Hampshire’s first innings century heroes, finished the day 32 not out, with his side 175-3 and a sizeable 360 runs ahead with two days play remaining.