Rob Yates and Dan Mousley piled on the runs for title contenders Warwickshire as Hampshire endured a beleaguered day on and off the pitch.

The pair both scored half-centuries in a 127-run stand as the Bears reached 141 before rain cut the day short. Relegation-threatened Hampshire only managed one wicket, having chosen to bowl first, but their biggest problem revolved around a U-turn over their controversial new signing Scott Kuggeleijn.

Kuggeleijn’s signing was quietly announced on Wednesday but after backlash from club staff – including players – and supporters, Hampshire confirmed shortly before the toss that he would not be considered for selection. He therefore remained in the hotel on the ground as Hampshire chose to bowl on a wicket that looked like it would be a handful to bat on.

Warwickshire and Hampshire desperately need points for different reasons in the thrilling end to the Championship season. Ed Barnard’s men are eight points behind leaders Nottinghamshire with four matches remaining as they search for their first title since 2021, while Hampshire are starting to get cut adrift at the basement, and started the round 19 points short of safety, after rain ruined a good chance of victory against Glamorgan last week.

In the early stages, Eddie Jack and Kyle Abbott – fresh from signing a new one-year contract – beat the edge at regular intervals. Scott Currie took over in the eighth over, bowled two teasing deliveries before nibbled one off the seam and took the thinnest of nicks off Will Young’s outside edge.

But Yates and Mousley saw off the new ball in watchful style, while surviving plenty of appeals from Hampshire. They took their rare opportunities to amass runs through boundaries, with Mousley tucking off his legside when he could, while Yates largely preferred to open the face of the bat.

Mousley has enjoyed his season up the order at No.3 – scoring exactly 600 runs – with his fifth half-century coming in a mature 86 balls. He was dropped the following ball at square leg. Yates followed him to fifty in 106 balls but rain just before 2.30pm halted play and was terminal for the day.