Liam Dawson's three-wicket burst could not stop Lancashire from batting out a draw at the Ageas Bowl.

The slow left-armer gave Hampshire hope with three wickets in 25 balls but Haseeb Hameed (53*) made his second half-century of the match. 

Hampshire remain four points adrift of Nottinghamshire, their next opponents at Trent Bridge, at the bottom of Division One, while Lancashire are still in danger of being dragged into the relegation dogfight

Mason Crane took three of Lancashire's last six first-innings wickets aftetr the visitors resumed on 310-4.

Crane had night-watchman Simon Kerrigan caught behind to the last ball of the days’ first over and later found a thick edge from Jordan Clark drop to Ryan McLaren at second slip.

In the afternoon he wrapped up the first innings by tempting Croft out his crease, stumped by the increasingly impressive Lewis McManus.

Ryan McLaren sent Liam Livingstone’s off stump cartwheeling before Crane’s spin twin Dawson grabbed tail scalps of Tom Moores and Kyle Jarvis.

With Lancashire 12 short of the follow on, Will Smith forced them to bat again but Hampshire were frustrated by openers Steven Croft and Hameed.

The pair retreated deeply within their shells – dot ball followed dot ball, as they used up 25 of the 58 remaining overs.

Dawson celebrated his 100th Specsavers County Championship wicket when he got the first ball after tea to pop. Croft watched sullenly as it dropped into Gareth Andrew’s paws at silly point.

Dawson managed to grab his fifth and sixth wickets of the afternoon – after only managing nine previously this season – soon after, as Lancashire threatened briefly to offer Hampshire a glimpse of winning the game.

Luke Procter pushed to Tom Alsop at silly mid-on, before Alviro Petersen fell in an identical fashion six overs later.

The captains eventually shooking hands with the visitors still 63 behind - ending a match including 98 maidens.

Hampshire stand-in captain Will Smith said: “I don’t think we could do any more.
“In terms of the effort and desire to win was all we could ask.

“We probably created enough chances but that said you can’t fault the effort, we have fielded for 210 overs in a row.

“Daws and Mason bowled 100 overs of them and bowled particularly well.

“We couldn’t force the win but there are a lot of positives.

“At times the pitch appeared docile but all of a sudden it would come to life. It was a wicket which suited us.

“Every game is important now. We have to approach the next five with a winning mentality. If we can come out with two wins we can climb the table.

“The guys are batting and bowling well and if we continue like this we are confident things will start going our way.”