Tremlett looks on as Adams and Ervine hit swinging 60s

Unfortunately for Miller, Hampshire's acting captain, Shaun Udal, having won the toss, opted to bat against third-placed Warwickshire - coincidentally their opponents in Saturday's C&G Trophy final at Lord's - which left Tremlett kicking his heels on the home team balcony all day.

As dress rehearsals go, this was not remotely indicative of the final outcome. For a start the pace and intensity of the one-day game was nowhere in evidence on a baking hot day. What mattered yesterday was that each side gleaned as many bonus points from this confrontation as they could.

Anyway, the Lord's line-ups will have significant changes thanks to the England management's decision to release Ian Bell and Ashley Giles to Warwickshire and Kevin Pietersen to Hampshire.

Hampshire, even without their England talent, looked comfortable on a good pitch that had pace and bounce, but little deviation from the straight. The only surprises came when Hampshire lost the odd wicket.

The openers, Sean Ervine and later Jimmy Adams, were swinging along in their 60s, well on their way to three figures, when each perished. Their demise resulted from Dougie Brown's doggedness and the sure hands of Jonathan Trott, who was to have a hand in the first four wickets.

That was the combination that accounted for Ervine after he had passed 50 for the third time in his last four innings. The rather more circumspect Adams, like Ervine a left-hander, but perhaps lacking the Zimbabwean's confidence, lasted until mid-afternoon. But the pair - the eighth first-wicket permutation Hampshire have tried this season - came up with the goods, recording the county's first century opening stand of the season.

But if Warwickshire embraced the thought that the departure of Ervine and Adams heralded a change for the better, they were soon disabused of the notion as John Crawley and Shane Watson took charge.

It was refreshing to see an Australian and Englishman working for each other in the middle of all the Ashes rivalry. Crawley was prudent, while Watson was at his belligerent best, pulling and driving four fours in one Makhaya Ntini over.

They piled up the second century partnership of the day before Crawley was snapped up in the gully off Trott. Shortly after the same bowler accounted for Jono McLean. Watson, though, not only stayed put but even managed to pull clear of the 60s as he helped Hampshire to four precious batting points.