Close Hampshire 123 (Bangar 4-40) and 43 for 2 (Bangar 2-15) need 210 more runs to beat India 236 and 139 for 4 dec (Bangar 52*) A wicked pitch at the Rose Bowl scotched India's hopes of getting some batting practice before the first Test at Lord's. Some deliveries flew off a length, while others crept along the ground, and when Sanjay Bangar was hit on the glove by a snorter from James Hamblin, Sourav Ganguly called in his batsmen, deciding to risk defeat rather than injuries to his players.

The signs were there on the first day, when both Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh were hit on the hand by a couple of deliveries from Neil Johnson which reared unexpectedly from a length. The blow to Harbhajan brought the team physiotherapist, Andrew Leipus, out to the ground. Fortunately, no fractures were detected.

"We have some important engagements and with the way Kumble and Harbhajan were hit, we could be risking our important players for the forthcoming Test series, Ganguly said. Later, Ganguly and Hampshire captain Robin Smith met in the presence of Peter Willey, one of the umpires, and agreed not to use their frontline pace bowlers. Thus, James Tomlinson did not bowl an over in India's second innings, while Dimitri Mascarenhas bowled just two.

Meanwhile, in the onfield action, Bangar demonstrated his allround credentials and emerged as a late contender for a place in the first Test at Lord's on Thursday. Opening the bowling in the absence of both Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, Bangar took 4 for 40 in Hampshire's first-innings total of 123, and later dismissed both openers cheaply as Hampshire chased 253 to win. In between he added a composed 52 from No. 3, before India declared at 139 for 4.

Resuming on their overnight 33 for 1, with John Crawley at the crease and keen to make an impression ahead of the Test, Hampshire soon faltered, losing five wickets for 30 runs. Crawley was the first to go, bowled by Bangar's seam-bowling rival Tinu Yohannan, for 15. Robin Smith and Lawrence Prittipaul fell in consecutive deliveries, and Ganguly himself weighed in with three wickets in four overs. Only Johnson, with a rapid 45, made any impression.

Bangar's hopes of a recall improved when Wasim Jaffer's poor form continued in India's reply. He added 32 to his first-innings 13, and with SS Das entering the series on the back of a miserable tour of the Caribbean, Bangar could even be eying up the opener's berth, a role he last played during the second Test at Trinidad in April.

At the close Hampshire were 43 for 2, needing another 210 for victory on the final day.

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