Yorkshire 554/7d lead Hampshire 302 & 54/5 by 198 runs
Yorkshire are closing in on a Specsavers County Championship victory over Hampshire after Steve Patterson inspired a wicket-ladened third evening at the Ageas Bowl.
Hampshire, bowled out for 302 a little over half an hour after tea, were forced to follow-on 252 runs behind before crumbling to 41-5 in their second innings. They closed on 54-5.
Patterson claimed three of them and finished the day with five wickets in all as the White Rose move towards their first win of the season at the second attempt.
Four of Patterson’s wickets across the two innings were caught at first slip by Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
Yorkshire were rewarded after tea for the tireless work they put in during the morning and afternoon on a docile pitch which has only really looked a danger to batsmen against the new ball.
This fixture has had an attritional feel right from day one when the visitors set about amassing 554-7 declared.
Hampshire started the day on 74-3, and Sam Northeast’s rearguard 99 was the feature of their 302.
South African quick Duanne Olivier returned 3-89 from 21 overs, while Ben Coad, Jack Leaning and Patterson all finished the innings with two wickets.
Then, with 25 overs remaining in the day, came the fireworks as Patterson, who returned 3-9 from seven, was ably supported by Matthew Waite, who struck twice, including South African overseas Aiden Markram.
Olivier employed the short ball with regularity and hit both wicketkeeper Lewis McManus and seam bowler Keith Barker on the head during the second half of the afternoon, forcing concussion checks and new helmets.
The first blow to McManus came with Northeast on 99.
Added to that enforced delay whilst McManus was assessed by the Hampshire physio, Northeast was made to wait on 99 by some tight Yorkshire bowling before he felt for one outside the off-stump and edged the former Test quick behind, leaving the score at 264-7 in the 84th over.
That was the first of two wickets for Olivier in as many overs with the new ball as Gareth Berg also edged an attempted cut behind (274-8).
The first afternoon wicket had gone to Leaning, whose off-spin enticed an error from Liam Dawson on 57 as he advanced down the pitch and tried to go over mid-on, only to miscue to Joe Root, who took a smart catch over his shoulder peddling backwards.
Dawson had shared 109 for the sixth wicket with Northeast, but his departure left Hampshire on 247-6 in the 73rd over.
The day had started with Yorkshire striking twice before lunch.
Coad had nightwatchman Kyle Abbott caught at short-leg off bat and pad (87-4).
Rilee Rossouw then counter-attacked against Olivier and added 33 before inside-edging a swipe at Waite onto his stumps as the score fell to 138-5.
From mid-afternoon onwards, play took place under floodlights, but the light improved significantly after tea.
Olivier forced three separate concussion tests, hitting McManus twice on the helmet and Barker once.
Captain Patterson then wrapped up Hampshire’s first innings by getting McManus (27) and Fidel Edwards caught at first slip by Kohler-Cadmore with successive deliveries in the 95th over.
Patterson then removed Weatherley for nine in the 13th over of Hampshire’s second innings, with Kohler-Cadmore holding on at first slip – the third dismissal in a row to go to that combination.
22-1 soon became 23-2 as Patterson trapped home skipper James Vince lbw in his next over before Kohler-Cadmore held on again to oust Northeast for a duck.
And when Waite had Aiden Markram caught behind, Hampshire were 31-4 in the 18th. Night-watchman Abbott was then trapped lbw in the all-rounder’s next over to cap a memorable day for the White Rose.
