Hampshire finished 10 runs short of their victory target on 215-7 as their Championship Division One match against Lancashire finished in a draw.

Hampshire were 26-3 before recovering but skipper Dimitri Mascarenhas faced 67 balls for his unbeaten 25, with most of his focus on preventing a defeat.

The draw lifted them off the bottom but kept them in the relegation zone.

Pakistani leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 7-66 as Lancashire were all out for 155 to leave Hampshire 225 in 71 overs.

That gave the 29-year-old match figures of 12-189, the best Championship figures by a Hampshire debutant.

Thanks to Tahir's sucess, Hampshire had 71 overs to chase the 225 they needed for victory, only to fall agonisingly short.

Chris Benham's determined innings of 64 - the same batsman hit 89 in Hampshire's first innings - seemed to be guiding the visitors to victory at one point.

But his dismissal, after he had put on 83 with Nic Pothas (35), came at just the wrong time and Mascarenhas simply shepherded his side to the draw, along with Chris Tremlett (15 off 34 balls).

It took Hampshire 23 overs to take the last three Lancashire wickets in the morning, with Tahir their only successful bowler as 34 runs were added.

Finally Gary Keedy, who lasted 80 balls for his 15, was dismissed and Hampshire could start the chase.

Glen Chapple took two quick wickets in the half hour before lunch and Dominic Cork had Sean Ervine caught behind straight after the interval before Keedy had Michael Lumb caught on the sweep by Stuart Law.

At 63-4, Hampshire looked closer to defeat than victory.

But then Benham really got to work on a tough, wearing track and at tea, 108 were needed from 32 overs with six wickets in hand.

But Keedy had Pothas caught behind and then Mahmood removed Benham, caught at point by Francois Du Plessis.

Hampshire gave up the chase and Lancashire had to settle for 11 points to go second in the table behind Nottinghamshire.