HAMPSHIRE head coach Adi Birrell conceded "a poor performance" as his side collapsed to a three-day County Championship defeat at Nottinghamshire.

Centuries from Jack Haynes and Liam Patterson-White batted the Division One leaders into an unassailable position and they won by a huge 366 runs.

All-rounder Patterson-White struck a career-best 135 with 21 fours and two sixes, while Haynes added 120, the pair sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 238 as Nottinghamshire made 345 in their second innings.

Chasing 483, Hampshire were bowled out for just 116, with Lyndon James (five for 22) and Brett Hutton (four for 56) sharing the wickets. Former Hampshire favourite Mohammad Abbas went wicketless.

“It was a very difficult game but we had chances in the first session today. Full credit to them - they were ruthless, got us down and didn’t let us get off the floor.," said Birrell.

"That innings of 140 in the first innings got us behind in the game, it was a lot of runs at that stage of the game. It was a poor performance by us all round.

"It’s very disappointing but we have no excuses.  We didn’t play very well with the ball in the first innings or in the field, or with the bat in the second innings.

"The pitch quietened down in the second innings and there were not many balls that got us out, we got ourselves out. We haven't had a defeat like this for a long time but the games come thick and fast and we've got an opportunity on Friday to put this right.

"This has to be a game in isolation. We have to show a lot of character to get over this, we have to show how much it means to play for Hampshire.

"We’ve just had a review with the team and we spoke harshly. They know that it is not good enough but we are not going to shy away from the responsibility.”

The final day’s collapse was in stark contrast to the morning session, where Haynes and Patterson-White, resuming on a partnership worth 87, added 144 more before lunch.

Patterson-White reached his century first, from 139 balls, hitting 76 of his runs in boundaries. It was his first fifty-plus score in 32 innings, prompting a long celebration.

Haynes reached his hundred shortly after, his second in five innings. He was run out for 120 just after lunch, ending the 238-run partnership - Nottinghamshire’s second-highest for the seventh wicket.

Abbott then struck twice with the new ball before James Fuller and James wrapped up the innings. Hampshire’s hopes of a fourth-day fight quickly vanished.

They slipped to 33 for three by tea and lost wickets regularly afterwards. Hutton removed Fletcha Middleton and Mark Stoneman, James dismissed Tom Prest, and the lower order folded meekly.

Patterson-White fittingly took the final catch to dismiss Sonny Baker for 27, Hampshire’s top scorer, sealing a dominant Nottinghamshire win.