Hampshire v Yorkshire: Yorkshire handed chance to press for victory

Yorkshire took advantage of a generous declaration from Hampshire captain Nic Pothas to move into a commanding position on day three of the side's County Championship match at the Rose Bowl.

After an indifferent second day, Yorkshire needed quick wickets to prevent the game fizzling out into a predictable draw.

With conditions a little more bowler-friendly than previous days – thanks to cooler temperatures and a smattering of cloud cover – hopes were high that Andrew Gale's side could skittle out Hampshire quickly.

The anticipated flurry of wickets failed to materialise, but while many of Hampshire's batsmen got off to decent starts, none could kick on and get the big score they needed to get within touching distance of Yorkshire's first innings 415.

Resuming on 162-3, Hampshire pair James Vince and Neil McKenzie looked in good touch, dealing well with everything a typically pumped-up Tino Best could throw at them.

The first breakthrough of the day finally came with the score at 200, when Vince called for a third run. Elder statesman McKenzie looked leggy turning for the second and immediately tried to send his partner back – but something appeared lost in translation as both batsman ended up at McKenzie's end.

It all added up to the simplest of run-outs and Yorkshire's charge had fresh and unexpected momentum.

But this was momentum of a gradual, unspectacular kind as a succession of Hampshire batsmen came to the crease, built the foundations of an innings – before being sent packing by some disciplined Yorkshire bowling.

Sean Ervine raced to 20 from 17 balls before edging Best to Jacques Rudolph at first slip, Pothas looked comfortable in reaching 23, before he was caught and bowled by the impressive Adil Rashid.

Even bowlers Dominic Cork (26) and David Balcombe (a career-best 30) looked set to drag Hampshire closer to Yorkshire's first innings total before falling.

Fittingly, their wickets were shared by the stand-out performers in Yorkshire's bowling line-up – Rashid and Best.

The West Indian got just reward for a fiery spell by trapping Cork leg before for his second wicket of the innings, while leg-spinner Rashid bowled Balcombe for his third victim.

The wickets left Hampshire on 341-9, still agonisingly short of an extra batting point for passing 350.

That they got there was not surprising – that Pothas declared immediately they did so, was rather more unexpected.

Clearly, the home side's captain believed his bowlers could skittle the Yorkshire batsmen cheaply in the second innings and snatch an unlikely win from the jaws of what seemed a likely draw.

But any hopes the home side had of Andrew Gale's side crumbling in the face of a challenge were swiftly and easily extinguished, with first innings centurion Adam Lyth again at the forefront.

In partnership with Joe Sayers, the pair serenely saw off the new ball, cobbling together an opening stand of 36 before Sayers cut seamer Balcombe to Michael Carberry at point for just 13. The wicket came just as the pair seemed to be settled and briefly stirred Hampshire's fielders into noisy encouragement of their chances of a flurry of quick dismissals.

But ever the cool head, Anthony McGrath combined with Lyth to re-establish Yorkshire's dominance.

By the time stumps were drawn, the pair had each moved past 50 with innings of uncomplicated shot-making and expert decision-making and neatly compiled a partnership of 116.

McGrath in particular, who on paper would be the more obdurate performer in the partnership, batted with fluency, notching boundary after picture-perfect boundary on his way to a 66-ball 50.

Lyth, by contrast showed a different side to his game than the flair-filled masterclass he put on in the first innings, ending the day unbeaten on 64 from 127 balls, in the process smashing his way past 800 Championship runs for the season.

Whether attacking, counter-attacking or just staunchly defending, he certainly looked the real deal.

DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Adam Lyth

A close call, as both Adil Rashid and Tino Best turned in whole-hearted performances full of grit and no little

class, but Lyth just shaded it with a battling knock which showcased what a fully-formed batsman he is already.

LV County Championship

Division 1 – Hants v Yorkshire

The Rose Bowl: Yorkshire (8pts) lead Hampshire (6) by 216 with 9 first inns wkts standing.

Overnight: Yorkshire 415, Hampshire 162-3.

Yorkshire First Innings

A Lyth c Ervine b Tomlinson 133

J J Sayers c McKenzie b Cork 49

A McGrath c Pothas b Tomlinson 64

JA Rudolph c Pothas b Cork 3

A W Gale c Pothas b Cork 56

J M Bairstow c Pothas b Tomlinson 4

A U Rashid c Pothas b Balcombe 51

R M Pyrah c Vince b Balcombe 8

T L Best lbw b Herath 6

S A Patterson not out 3

O J Hannon-Dalby b Balcombe 0

Extras b8 lb6 w4 nb20 38

Total (136.1 overs) 415

Fall: 1-195 2-209 3-215 4-327 5-333 6-337 7-393 8-408 9-410.

Bowling: Tomlinson 33 2 115 3; Cork 34 11 78 3; Balcombe 24.1 6 69 3; Ervine 24 1 88 0; Herath 21 5 51 1.

Hampshire First Innings

M A Carberry c & b A U Rashid 19

J H K Adams c Rudolph b Hannon-Dalby 82

M J Lumb c Rudolph b A U Rashid 0

N D McKenzie c Rudolph b Pyrah 91

J M Vince run out 24

S M Ervine c Rudolph b Best 20

N Pothas c & b A U Rashid 23

D G Cork lbw b Best 26

D J Balcombe b A U Rashid 30

H M R Herath not out 17

J A Tomlinson not out 0

Extras b5 lb11 w1 nb2 19

Total 9 wkts dec (97.4 overs) 351

Fall: 1-49 2-49 3-143 4-200 5-226 6-262 7-270 8-325 9-341.

Bowling: Best 21 4 91 2; Hannon-Dalby 21 3 70 1; Patterson 22 7 60 0; A U Rashid 18.4 3 62 4; Pyrah 14 1 50 1; Sayers 1 0 2 0.

Yorkshire Second Innings

A Lyth not out 64

J J Sayers c Carberry b Balcombe 13

A McGrath not out 60

Extras b5 lb3 w1 nb6 15

Total 1 wkt (44 overs) 152

Fall: 1-36

Bowling: Cork 6 1 16 0; Tomlinson 11 2 43 0; Herath 15 5 38 0; Balcombe 5 0 22 1; Ervine 4 1 15 0; Carberry 3 0 10 0.