County Championship: James Vince & Keith Barker hold up Bears escape bid

Keith Barker hit his 30th first-class half-century - nine of which have now come at Edgbaston

Warwickshire old boy Keith Barker harmed the Bears' hopes of miraculously evading the Division One drop as he and Hampshire skipper James Vince both hit half-centuries at Edgbaston.

Having been 92-5, still 180 behind, Hampshire rallied to reach 311 - a slender first-innings lead of 39.

But the hosts closed on 62-2 to give themselves a chance of staying up.

Thanks to Yorkshire's 18-run defeat by Gloucestershire, the Bears can avoid relegation if they beat Hampshire.

But they are only 23 ahead, and have to hope they can set an attractive enough victory target on Thursday's final day to persuade Hampshire to chase it.

And Hampshire might take some persuading as, if they see out this game for a draw, they will have the honour of finishing runners-up, relegate Lancashire to third and earn a little extra prize money.

At least Warwickshire, county champions in 2021, have given themselves a chance as they look to avoid becoming the first side since Middlesex in 2017 to be relegated just a year after finishing top.

Resuming on 4-0, from the 19 balls they faced the previous evening, Hampshire looked in a spot of bother when three morning wickets for the returning fit-again Liam Norwell helped reduce the visitors to 92-5.

But Vince and Barker then turned things around as they proved the architects of Hampshire's slim first-innings lead.

Nye Donald (36) helped Vince put on 75 either side of lunch, before the Hampshire skipper added a further 63 with Barker until being caught behind off spinner Danny Briggs.

And Barker then put on 71 more for the eighth wicket with James Fuller (26). But he still remains popular in these parts - and he got as warm a reception as any visiting player when he reached his 50.

When he holed out at midwicket to become a third victim for Henry Brookes, the innings was over just 21 balls and 10 runs later when Norwell took the final scalp, for only his second four-wicket haul of an injury-hit season.

Last season's leading wicket-taker Liam Norwell is making just his fourth appearance this season

With an extra eight overs to potentially add on, if the light held - to make up for time lost on the first two days - that left a possible 24 overs for the Bears to earn an overnight lead.

First-innings centurion Rob Yates made 15 before becoming a 50th wicket for Mohammad Abbas in the Championship this season.

That matched team-mates Barker (52) and the injured Kyle Abbott (58) - the first time that three Hampshire bowlers have all claimed 50 scalps in a season since Cardigan Connor, Shaun Udal and Heath Streak in 1995.

Five balls later, nightwatchman Henry Brookes departed cheaply too, but they played on for six and a half more overs after that, in which the unparted Dom Sibley (29) and Alex Davies (15) scored freely.

But the light went quickly just as they were ready to use up those final eight overs, to set up a potentially tense final day.

Warwickshire fast bowler Liam Norwell told BBC Radio WM:

"We have got a chance. It is an outside chance but it is a chance and we are going to give it everything we've got.

"It's a pretty typical Edgbaston pitch. There is a bit of resistance with the new ball but then it does get a bit flatter. It's just a good cricket wicket. If we can get enough runs on the board to put a bit of pressure on them and dangle the carrot then who knows?

"I am as frustrated as anyone at not having played this season so it is great to be back. I was pleased with the way I bowled. I found some rhythm but now it's a big day of cricket ahead and that's all that my mind is on."

Hampshire all-rounder Keith Barker:

"We were fortunate enough to get the extra point we needed. Now they are going to have to do something with only three sessions left.

"They are going to have to come out pretty positively to make something happen. We have just got to stay in the game and see what they come up with.

"It's for them to do something. We are kind of passengers. We can just sit and wait and see what they do. I am sure they will come out with all guns blazing. They have to. We just have to make sure that we are on it when we come to bat so that what happened last week doesn't happen again and make sure we come out with at least a draw."