Captains warned in Hampshire humiliation

The umpires Graham Burgess and Mike Harris reprimanded the two captains, Hampshire's Shane Warne and Essex's Ronnie Irani, for a verbal altercation as Essex inflicted the biggest defeat in terms of runs for 108 years on Hampshire in their Second Division game at the Rose Bowl yesterday.

The row occurred on the second day when Irani was batting and Warne was standing in the slips. Irani said: "The umpires made it clear we should end it there and then, but I'm not saying what was said while we were out there. What happens on the field stays on the field. Warne is a character, a legend and has 500 Test wickets to his name."

It was Hampshire's biggest margin of defeat since 1896 when they were beaten by Surrey at Northlands Road.

Set a massive 534 to win, Hampshire were bowled out for 149, 61 coming from the last pair, Alan Mullally and Billy Taylor, as Andre Adams took 3 for 23. Earlier, James Middlebrook had hit a rapid 93 for the visitors.

As the West Indies were bowled out cheaply by Derbyshire yesterday, their captain, Brian Lara, was given a vote of confidence to continue in the post by the team management.

Lara was not playing as the tourists subsided for 223 in just 40.1 overs against an under-strength attack, with the off-spinner Nathan Dumelow taking a career-best 5 for 51.

With most of the batsmen seeming in one-day mode, Dwayne Smith top-scored with 55 off 53 balls and Chris Gayle hit 42 off just 24 balls. Derbyshire closed on 102 for 2 in reply.