Yorkshire off-spinner James Middlebrook claimed four wickets in five balls as Hampshire began their 565th and last first-class match at their County Ground headquarters.

Hampshire, whose relegation to Division Two of the County Championship was confirmed late in the day, move to their £17m new ground on the outskirts of Southampton next season after playing at the current site since 1885.

Spectators witnessed 16 wickets on the first day and some extraordinary incidents from the moment Yorkshire skipper David Byas won the toss and chose to bat first.

Yorkshire were bowled out for 205 and Hampshire responded with 151 for six by the close.

Former Yorkshire pace bowler Peter Hartley recorded his 100th wicket for Hampshire on the day he announced his retirement at the age of 40. His victim was opening batsman Simon Widdup.

Australian Darren Lehmann was Yorkshire's top scorer, as he has been so often in a prolific summer, with 46 which included, thanks to overthrows, a seven. His countryman Shane Warne was Hampshire's most successful bowler with figures of five for 92, although it was Dimitri Mascarenhas who accounted for Lehmann to a catch at the wicket by Adrian Aymes after a furious 33-ball innings which also included seven fours.

England's Michael Vaughan, playing in his last match before the winter tour of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, hit six boundaries in his 30 including three fours in an over from Warne.

Hampshire had reached 76 for two in reply when Middlebrook struck by dismissing Robin Smith lbw and then having Lawrence Prittipaul caught at silly mid-off next ball.

Middlebrook's hat-trick delivery went down the leg side but he regained his sights by dismissing Aymes and Mascarenhas in successive deliveries to catches close to the wicket.

This left Hampshire reeling at 78 for six but then Will Kendall and Warne then joined forces for a decisive seventh-wicket stand.

Warne hit Ian Fisher and Middlebrook for sixes as he and Kendall put on 73 without being parted.

Kendall reached his half-century from 134 balls and had hit nine boundaries in his 56 not out by the close, while Warne was unbeaten on 48.

But the hosts' efforts were in vain because although they claimed maximum bowling points they were relegated soon after 5pm when Kent got the solitary batting point they needed to stay in the First Division at Hampshire's expense.

Hampshire will join Durham and Derbyshire in next year's Second Division.

l Adam Hollioake shouldered the responsibility for guiding Surrey past the finishing line and ensured they did not suffer a frustrating wait to complete their second successive County Championship title success.

Surrey's livewire captain set the example with bat and ball for team-mates, whose determined efforts during a long season had begun to take their toll and had resulted in a series of uncharacteristic fielding errors at Old Trafford yesterday.