DURHAM coach Geoff Cook last night paid tribute to Shane Warne, whose astonishing efforts in continually pulling his side off the ropes were rewarded with a 50-run victory for Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

Test cricket's leading wicket-taker set up an exciting final day through his generous declaration, setting Durham a target of 254 in 66 overs. Then for the second time in the match his bowling engineered their downfall after an opening stand of 83.

Warne took five for 50, giving him 11 wickets in the match, but recalled Hampshire's only other serious contributor, Chris Tremlett, to ring the death knell with Durham on 201 for seven with 12 overs left.

Six balls later it was all over as the 6ft 7in seamer obliged in ruthless fashion by having Liam Plunkett, Mark Davies and Graham Onions caught in the slips.

Durham were all out for 203 and their chance of going to the top of the county championship had been snatched agonisingly away.

Cook said: "Shane Warne has been on a mission in this match. He obviously took a look at the league table before the start and decided to do something about it.

"He bowled as if his life depended on it and it has been a terrific lesson to our players. Sometimes you are disappointed with the way you have played and sometimes with the outcome, which is the case for us here.

"Out of nine sessions in the match we won more than half of them, but lost the last one each day massively.

"Spinners are getting more lbw decisions on the front foot these days, so Warne is taking advantage of that by bowling a lot more sliders and we'll have to learn from it."

Warne declared at Hampshire's overnight total of 310 for nine when the start was delayed until 1.35.

With the hosts having five runs deducted because three batsmen ran down the pitch, Durham's target was 254 in 66 overs.

Warne has often been critical of the negativity of other county captains and his declaration was clearly a gamble, possibly influenced by the threat of more rain.

When play began there were still heavy clouds around, but by tea the sky was blue and Durham were 110 for two, needing 144 from 36 overs.

Only five runs were added in the next four overs, however, and a Warne googly had Will Smith lbw for the second time in the match for 41.

It was Smith's highest championship score of the season, but he again got bogged down after he and Michael Di Venuto were both on 21 when the total was 45.

Di Venuto then raced to his seventh half-century in 13 championship innings before he fell with the score on 83, top-edging a pull to mid-wicket off Tremlett.

Like Smith, Gordon Muchall was lbw to Warne for the second time, this time trying to sweep, but Durham were still clear favourites at tea.

Every time they had achieved a position of command, however, Warne knocked them back and in his next over after dismissing Smith he turned one sharply to Dale Benkenstein. The Durham captain edged it to second slip, where Michael Lumb knocked it up for Chris Benham to complete the catch at first slip.

That was a huge blow for Durham, but there can be no putting up of shutters in Phil Mustard's eyes and while he was putting on 50 in 11 overs with Scott Styris the balance was tipping back in Durham's favour.

But then Warne took a hand again, this time at second slip as he caught Mustard's edged drive off Stuart Clark.

In the next over Ottis Gibson was lbw when he thrust his pad at a ball from Warne which appeared to be going straight on.

At 174 for six Durham needed 80 from 20 overs and Liam Plunkett had a lucky escape when a Clark bouncer lobbed up off his glove, landing a few feet away on the off side.

Hampshire tried to claim that Plunkett had obstructed the short leg fielder from reaching the ball, and the umpires conferred, but as Plunkett hadn't moved he had to be considered blameless.

Clark continued to pepper him, however, having him dropped at leg gully by Tremlett in his next over before hitting him on the helmet.

Plunkett responded by hooking him for four, but with the target down to 65 off 15 overs Styris fell for 41 when he became Warne's seventh lbw victim of the match.

Three overs later Tremlett was recalled and who else but Warne should hold the very sharp chance offered to second slip by Plunkett. The only departure from the script was that the last two should be held by Benham.