Woodworm cricket bats staff player Ant Botha made his first half century of the season to help Warwickshire pile up the runs against Hampshire on the third day of their LV County Championship match at Edgbaston.

The former Derbyshire left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner has been handicapped by a tennis elbow injury which flared up on the pre-season trip to South Africa so far this season.

But the former Derbyshire player found form and punished a toiling Hampshire attack as Warwickshire made 630 for eight declared.

Botha, who made 51 from just 72 balls, helped former Surrey and Derbyshire all-rounder Rikki Clarke add 138 in only 22 overs for the seventh wicket.

That partnership came after Jim Troughton, with a career-best 223, and England reserve wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose had re-written Warwickshire’s record books.

Their fifth wicket partnership of 335 bettered the historic 322 run stand compiled by Brian Lara and Keith Piper against Durham at Edgbaston 15 years ago.

Lara completed his world record 501 not out in that partnership, the highest individual score ever made in first-class cricket and record that still stands today.

Warwickshire’s assault on some dreadful Hampshire bowling gave them a first innings lead of 230 and left the visitors with little option but to bat for the draw.

Openers Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams knocked off 61 of the deficit by the close.