Yorkshire v Hampshire: Trent Bridge victory essential concedes proud captain Gale

The Yorkshire captain believes his team probably need to win their last two games to retain a chance of clinching the title.

After Yorkshire held out for a draw against Hampshire at North Marine Road, Gale conceded: "It's tricky now to win the Championship. We're lucky that the other results look like they're going to finish as draws, and we'll probably have to win two out of two now.

"I think we'll definitely have to beat Notts in our next match and see where that takes us. But the race is by no means over, and I'm immensely proud of what the lads have achieved so far."

Gale's men remain locked in a three-way fight with Nottinghamshire and Somerset going into the final three weeks of the Championship campaign.

Yorkshire are likely to stay third in the league following the conclusion of today's games between Nottinghamshire and Lancashire at Trent Bridge and Somerset and Durham at Taunton, although Lancashire and Durham are not yet out of contention.

Nottinghamshire have a game in hand on Yorkshire and Somerset, which they play against Durham at Chester-le-Street, starting on Tuesday.

Yorkshire travel to Nottinghamshire on September 7, when Somerset take on Lancashire at Taunton.

In the final round of fixtures, Yorkshire entertain Kent, Nottinghamshire travel to Lancashire and Somerset visit Durham.

Yorkshire survived a potentially troublesome final day at North Marine Road after Hampshire declared 30 minutes before lunch with a first innings lead of 176.

Their total of 498-6 declared was their highest in Yorkshire, surpassing the 456-2 declared at Headingley in 1920, and included splendid contributions from Jimmy Adams (196) and James Vince (180), who shared a stand of 278.

But Yorkshire did not wilt under pressure and had reached 225-4 when the players shook hands at 4.55pm.

Jacques Rudolph top-scored with 54, Jonathan Bairstow finished unbeaten on 50 and Adam Lyth chipped in with 44.

"In recent years, we might have found ourselves skittled in that sort of situation," conceded Gale. "But the lads showed a lot of fight, which was really encouraging. Jacques and Adam got us off to a good start and that really set the tone.

"Johnny played a good innings and it was a terrific effort under pressure."

On the final day of the 124th Festival, Hampshire resumed on 367-3 in reply to Yorkshire's 322-9 declared.

Adams and Vince lifted their stand from 215 overnight past Scarborough's previous fourth-wicket best of 258 by Yorkshire's Phil Robinson and David Byas against Kent in 1989, and also past Hampshire's previous fourth-wicket best of 263 by Roy Marshall and Danny Livingstone against Middlesex at Lord's in 1970.

Both looked likely to follow Geoff Cook as the only visiting batsman to have scored a double hundred at North Marine Road in a county game, Cook plundering 203 for Northants in 1988.

But Adams was bowled by Steve Patterson after facing 343 balls and striking 27 fours and a six, and Vince pulled a rank long-hop from Adil Rashid to deep mid-wicket after facing 205 deliveries and hitting 24 fours and three sixes.

Vince and Sean Ervine added 63 for the fifth-wicket in seven overs before Dominic Cork called a halt when Ervine was run out for 30.

Despite Hampshire's run feast, Gale thought Yorkshire bowled well overall.

"I actually thought we bowled better in this match than we did against Essex, when we beat them at Scarborough inside three days earlier in the season," he insisted.

Yorkshire had to face an awkward six overs before lunch, which Lyth and Rudolph negotiated with typical aplomb.

After the break they hoisted their stand to 87 before Lyth fended one of a number of short balls from Cork to short-leg.

Rudolph slapped David Balcombe to point, Anthony McGrath was caught at slip off left-arm spinner Danny Briggs, who also had Gale caught around the corner.

Hampshire's last chance disappeared when Vince dropped Gerard Brophy on nought off Ervine, which would have left Yorkshire 191-5 – effectively

15-5.

DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Jacques Rudolph

The batsman helped ensure Yorkshire did not come under early pressure in their second innings as he shared an opening stand of 87 with Adam Lyth. Rudolph scored 54 from 77 balls with 10 fours.