Although rain briefly gave Hampshire hope that they might escape with a draw, there was not enough of it to prevent Nottinghamshire completing a deserved victory that took them to the top of the first division. Chris Read's men approached their run chase with professionalism and patience - two qualities which Read's opposite number, Dimitri Mascarenhas, will need in abundance as he contemplates life in the relegation zone.

With Nantie Hayward, injured late on the third day, unable to take any part, and both an academy leg-spinner and the club's physio taking turns as substitute fielders, Mascarenhas needed his remaining bowlers to approach the task with diligence and verve. Instead, he had to shoulder most of the responsibility alone, as Chris Tremlett, James Tomlinson and Sean Ervine served up a series of overs that appeared baffling to everyone but the opposition batsmen. Mascarenhas apart, the rain was more of a threat to Nottinghamshire's victory hopes than the bowling.

Tomlinson's faults were the least glaring, his waywardness and a tendency to drift down leg culminating in a no-ball hit for four through an unguarded mid-wicket when Nottinghamshire required five to win. But he did finally put an end to the key partnership, of 91, between Mark Wagh and Samit Patel, and should have picked up a second wicket when Ervine dropped a straightforward chance at second slip. Ervine, for his part, bowled consecutive wides in his second over, then took to bowling leg-side long-hops to a field including three slips and a gully. But it was Tremlett's performance that left the most to be desired.

The batting hero of the third day bowled almost desultorily in the morning, a series of pitched-up gimmes and half-hearted short balls resulting in 27 runs from his four overs, which would have been a disappointing return in a Twenty20 match. When play resumed after tea, the England international was not asked to bowl, and fielded with something that resembled petulance.

It could have all been so different: Mascarenhas took two wickets in the fifth over of the day, Will Jefferson snicking one to Michael Lumb at first slip then three balls later having Adam Voges caught at forward short leg by Nick Pothas, the wicketkeeper, who ran round to take the catch while the ball gently looped up off Voges's bat and pad. Had the bowlers at the other end managed to apply similar pressure, the game might have swung Hampshire's way.

They will need to unearth more of their captain's kind of fighting spirit if they are to keep their place in the upper division.

Scoreboard

Hampshire: First Innings 293 (N Pothas 56, A D Mascarenhas 55, J P Crawley 50; A R Adams 4 for 63)

Second Innings 248 (M J Brown 54, C T Tremlett 52; A R Adams 4 for 45)

Nottinghamshire: First Innings 354 (M J Wood 77, M A Wagh 66)

Second Innings (overnight 54-1)
W I Jefferson c Lumb b Mascarenhas 21
M A Wagh c Pothas b Tomlinson 67
A C Voges c Pothas b Mascarenhas 4
S R Patel not out 65
B M Shafayat not out 14
Extras (lb 5, w 2, nb 4) 11

Total (4 wkts, 39.3 overs) 189

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-70, 3-74, 4-165.

Bowling: Tremlett 6-0-42-0; Tomlinson 12-1-46-1; Hayward 3.1-0-14-1; Mascarenhas 11.5-8-37-2; Ervine 6.3-0-45-0.

Umpires: G I Burgess and V A Holder.