Hampshire's Sean Terry and Adam Wheater made half-centuries in contrasting styles on day three at Lord's but they are unlikely to prevent Middlesex from completing their fourth win of the season in the LV= County Championship.
While opener Terry laboured patiently for nearly three and a half hours for his second fifty of the season, Wheater gave the Hampshire innings belated impetus with 50 off just 45 balls.
But Middlesex's attack maintained their discipline in the soaring temperatures on a turgid surface and by stumps had reduced Hampshire to 195 for seven, a lead of just 41.
When Will Smith, whose 30 runs were compiled in a shade under three hours, and Wheater were dismissed by off-spinner Ollie Rayner in successive overs, Middlesex were eyeing a three-day win. Rayner also removed Joe Gatting late in the day but Hampshire at least took the game into a fourth day.
Hampshire began their second innings 154 runs behind but their top order was undone by a fine spell either side of lunch by James Harris, who now has 48 championship wickets after taking three in four overs.
Jimmy Adams (28) mistimed a pull and was caught down the leg side before Michael Carberry's miserable form continued.
The former England left-hander has scored just 90 runs in his last eight championship innings after he was caught behind pushing half-forward to Harris for one while James Vince (three) lost his off stump playing down the wrong line.
Terry and Smith regrouped in an afternoon session which yielded just 58 runs in 34 overs. Smith offered a chance on five which the diving Nick Compton got a hand to at midwicket but he could not hold on as the fourth-wicket pair added 50 in 31 overs.
Terry faced 171 balls and hit six fours but fell to the sixth ball after tea, leg before when Tim Murtagh shaped one in down the slope.
Wheater attacked from the start, overtaking Smith when he reached 25 from 71 fewer deliveries as he drove impressively and rotated the strike, but Rayner had settled into a groove at the pavilion end by then and picked up belated reward with three wickets.
Smith was caught at backward point off a leading edge after labouring nearly three hours and 123 balls for 30, which included just two boundaries.
Wheater then played a poor shot across the line the delivery after reaching his fifty.
Rayner's arm ball was too good for Joe Gatting (four) but Gareth Berg and Danny Briggs took their side safely to stumps.
Earlier, Middlesex had been bowled out for 330 in their first innings. Bradley Wheal removed Rayner shortly after he had reached his half-century to finish with four for 101.
Source: PA
