Lyth’s valiant rearguard in vain as Yorkshire CCC fall to defeat

It made for a frustrating start to Anthony McGrath’s tenure as head coach, although McGrath would have been heartened by the character that his players displayed from that point.

No one epitomised it more than opener Adam Lyth, whose second innings hundred at least helped to set a nuisance target of 148, the hosts sealing victory with 19.3 overs left on day three.

Lyth, who scored 106 from 275 balls with 11 fours, batted for five minutes short of seven hours in a valiant rearguard.

He reached his hundred from 263 balls - the second-slowest of the 38 that he has managed in first-class cricket, behind the 267 deliveries that he took to bring up the milestone against Warwickshire at Headingley in 2022.

The left-hander was last out as Yorkshire were bowled out for 275 in their second innings, some 25 minutes after lunch, when he tried to launch Brett Hampton for six with the field up only to give Kyle Abbott a steepling catch at mid-on.

As such, Lyth narrowly failed to become the first Yorkshire player to carry his bat since he himself did so against Leicestershire at Grace Road 13 years ago, with only Herbert Sutcliffe (at Headingley in 1932) having achieved the feat for Yorkshire against Hampshire.

On another sunkissed day at the Utilita Bowl, Yorkshire’s position going into it was perilous.

They led by 61 runs with their second innings score at 189-6.

Lyth had 57 of those runs and much clearly depended on the 37-year-old, who had nightwatchman Ben Cliff on one for company.

The pair were not separated until an hour had passed and the second new-ball had been taken, Cliff perishing to the fifth delivery with it when he edged Abbott to Tom Prest at second slip, the fielder taking the ball well low to his right.

Cliff had resisted for 78 balls and for 79 minutes in making 20 runs that included three fours.

He was followed back to the pavilion six overs later by Dom Bess, who did not trouble the scorers during a 17-ball stay that ended when Abbott clattered one into his stumps.

There followed a dropped catch which, under different circumstances, might have come back to haunt Hampshire, Prest spilling a regulation opportunity at slip when Ben Coad, on five, edged Brad Wheal.

It would have left Yorkshire 250-9 - effectively 122-9 - and it denied Wheal a five-wicket haul into the bargain.

Yorkshire lunched on 255-8, a respectable morning’s work, with Lyth nine short of reaching three figures.

He did so from the final ball of the first over after lunch, his ninth hundred for the county in Championship cricket inside the past two years.

Lyth had on-driven the first ball of the session from Hampton to the boundary - just as he had off-driven the day’s first ball from Abbott to the rope - and after a leg-side two and a cover-driven two, a cut for four brought up the milestone to appreciative applause.

Coad had a flash at Hampton and was caught behind, Lyth’s dismissal then leaving Hampshire with a minimum of 59 overs to get the job done before a fourth day was needed.

Get it done they did, although the route to victory was not without alarm.

Mark Stoneman and Fletcha Middleton, the opening batsmen, were both reprieved before the first wicket went down on 47.

Stoneman was dropped on four at square-leg off George Hill with the score on 27, then Middleton spillled on 26 at first slip off Jack White with the total on 45.

Stoneman had advanced to 11 when he was eventually cleaned up by off-spinner Bess, bowled swinging recklessly across the line.

White enjoyed an impressive Yorkshire debut, taking three wickets in the first innings and following up with a quickfire double as Hampshire then slipped to 60-3.

Nick Gubbins was trapped lbw on the back foot, and Toby Albert caught nibbling at one outside the off stump.

Middleton was lbw playing back to Bess on the stroke of tea, after which Prest and Liam Dawson accelerated well to ease any lingering concerns in the home dressing room.

Prest – put down at deep square-leg off Bess on 35 – had moved to 57 when he fell one run out from the winning line, bowled making room to try to force Bess through the offside.

Prest added 61 with Dawson, who finished with 22, Hampshire captain Ben Brown emerging to strike the winning run off Bess, the most successful bowler with 3-52.