"We probably need to win three of our last four games, but if we play like we did here against Lancashire and get some decent weather, you never know," said Yorkshire's director of professional cricket, whose team produced an excellent all-round display in the 247th Roses match.

"I'm sure there are a lot of twists and turns to come with the table being so close, but there's no reason why we can't be challenging at the top end rather than scrapping down at the bottom."

Only 42 points separate leaders Nottinghamshire from bottom-placed Surrey, and Yorkshire climbed from eighth place to sixth courtesy of a draw with maximum bonus points to close to within 21 points of the summit.

Yorkshire's next three Championship fixtures are at Scarborough, where they face Kent, Sussex and Somerset and where the leg-spin of Adil Rashid could prove a telling factor.

Rashid, 20, has begun to find a rich vein of form and has a special affinity for a North Marine Road venue where he made his first-class debut and where he has captured 19 wickets at 21.73.

"Adil's bowled well in the last few games and is performing with a lot of confidence," added Moxon, whose side conclude their Championship programme against Sussex at Hove. "Potentially, Adil could be a really big player between now and the end of the season."

Had it not been for the fact more than four sessions of this match were lost to the weather, Rashid's five-wicket haul in their first innings might have inspired Yorkshire to only their third Championship victory of the summer.

As it was, Yorkshire's first imperative was to stop the rot after four defeats in their previous five games – an objective they achieved with aplomb.

There was a glimmer of hope for them yesterday when they followed up a declaration on 400-6 by reducing Lancashire to 29-3 in the 10th over of their second innings, which left the home team still 140 runs adrift and with a minimum of 41 overs still to survive.

Rashid was generating turn and bounce from the Brian Statham End and Lancashire's batting – so fragile in the first innings – could have imploded for a second time.

But Paul Horton and Lou Vincent were not for shifting and had lifted Lancashire to 104-3 by the time bad light forced an early conclusion at 5.05pm, with the decision of umpires Graham Burgess and Allan Jones to take the players from the field quite laughable.

Not only was the light marginal, but Rashid and part-time spinner Adam Lyth were in operation and there was no danger of physical injury to either batsman.

"I find the rule about bad light to be very inconsistent," commented Moxon. "To be brutally honest, if that was bad light with those two bowling, then we'll hardly ever play."

Yorkshire started the day on 234-2 with the aim of getting up to 400 by lunch, but had to be content with 355-6 at the interval as Lancashire kept them in check.

Andrew Gale converted his overnight 111 into 136 before he was caught at long-off off leg-spinner Francois du Plessis, who then ran out Lyth with a smart piece of fielding from backward-point.

Jacques Rudolph carried his overnight score on to 54 from 77 deliveries with seven boundaries before du Plessis had him caught behind off one that reared up sharply.

Gerard Brophy danced down the track and was stumped to give Gary Keedy his first wicket of the innings with the opening delivery of his 43rd over, but Tim Bresnan and Rashid took Yorkshire up to maximum batting points before the declaration came at 2.20pm.

Matthew Hoggard had Iain Sutcliffe caught behind from the fifth ball of Lancashire's reply on the day the Leeds-born batsman announced his retirement from first-class cricket.

Stuart Law was caught at mid-on by Darren Gough, who was inventive with his field placings, and Rashid bowled du Plessis through the gate before Horton and Vincent bolted the door.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Adil Rashid

Took 5-95 in the first innings and produced a miserly spell of 1-16 from 16 overs second time around to maintain his recent good run.