A monumental seven-and-a-half hour innings of 168 not out from Hampshire rookie opener Jimmy Adams knocked the wind clean out of Yorkshire's sails on Saturday just when it looked as if they may be heading for their first Championship win of the season.

Set a daunting 404 for victory, Hampshire got there by five wickets with ten balls to spare, Adams' career-best knock coming off 313 balls with 13 fours.

The defeat was all the more depressing for Yorkshire because it was the highest fourth innings winning total made against them, beating Gloucestershire's 392 for four at Bristol in 1948.

David Byas, Yorkshire's director of cricket, said the result was "a bitter pill to swallow" and of most concern to him must have been the poor form of his top bowlers.

Deon Kruis was the only front-liner to pick up a wicket, the other four to go down being shared by the ever-dependable Anthony McGrath and Darren Lehmann, who are also Yorkshire's leading scorers.

Hampshire were given a slow but solid start of 133 between Adams and Michael Carberry and there was another substantial partnership of 137 for the fourth wicket between the unflappable Adams and Dominic Thornely who struck 71.

Thornely was out to Lehmann in the over before the second new ball was taken and Yorkshire's hopes were briefly raised when Deon Kruis bowled Dimitri Mascarenhas and Lehmann accounted for Nic Pothas.

But while Adams continued to stick like a limpet, Greg Lamb thrashed out so successfully that 47 runs came off seven overs to hurry Hampshire home.

England captain Michael Vaughan had a satisfactory workout, scoring 56 in 35 overs in Yorkshire's second innings and spending long spells in the field.

But Vaughan stressed afterwards that he was still a fair way from being 100 per cent fit.

"My progress is on the rise," he said. "I have spent time in the middle but the best test has been to stand for over 90 overs in the field in one day and I have done that.

"I am still trying to ease my way back into county cricket because it is now six months since I was fully fit. My body has to get used to twisting and turning and all the other movements.

"I know it is hard for people to accept I am playing for Yorkshire and not England but I am some way off being at an international standard of fitness.

"I have to make sure that when I come back for England I am 100 per cent fit."