LIAM Dawson's unbeaten fifty ensured Hampshire did not lose their opening game of the season.

Hampshire were 103-4 at tea on the final day after beginning their second innings 158 behind against Warwickshire at The Ageas Bowl.

It got worse when a poor shot from Sean Ervine (22), with 30 overs remaining, left Hampshire 112-5 against a Warwickshire attack minus the injured Chris Woakes.

But Dawson produced a typically gutsy 50 not out (120 balls, four fours) and shared in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 73 with Adam Wheater (34no) to deny Warwickshire.

The rot had sent in when Michael Carberry (18) was caught at first slip after nicking a ball angled across him from Keith Barker in the fifth over after lunch.

Tom Alsop (24) and Will Smith (3) were out within four overs of each other, caught at short leg off Boyd Rankin and trapped lbw by off-spinner Jeetan Patel, who was a constant threat thanks to the footmarks created by left-armer Barker.

Then, with 43 overs remaining, and aided by some low bounce, Rikki Clarke trapped Hampshire captain James Vince lbw for 21 to reduce the home side to 76-4.

Dawson and Ervine added 27 before tea, after which Wheater helped restore calm.

Warwickshire were bowled out for 360 in reply to Hampshire’s first-innings 202 after losing their last four wickets while trying to score quickly during the first hour.

They added 77 in 17.1 overs after beginning the final day on 283-6.

James Tomlinson finished with 3-79 in his first Championship match since last July after dismissing Ian Bell (174) and last man Boyd Rankin.

Bell, 130 not out overnight, lost Clarke to a very good one-handed catch by Wheater in the fifth over.

But he added 44 from 37 balls, mostly while adding 51 in ten overs with Jeetan Patel, before splicing a high catch to Vince at mid-on.

Hampshire had maximum bowling points when Patel was bowled by slow left-armer Dawson as he attempted to get the score moving.

Warwickshire were all out when Vince took another catch to see off Rankin.