Picture by Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket. James Wharton reverse sweeps en-route to 47 against Hampshire today.
Yorkshire are on course for a crucial Rothesay County Championship victory over Hampshire following a progressive day three with bat and then ball at the Utilita Bowl.
The White Rose county set second-bottom Hampshire a 278-target at tea on a slow, attritional surface which has made run-scoring very difficult through this contest.
And they restricted them 106-3 from 27 overs at close. The hosts need 172 more for the win. Ben Coad, George Hill and Adam Lyth all struck.
Yorkshire, a place and 17 points above Hampshire in the Division One table before this fixture started, are targeting a third win in nine matches.
Yorkshire were impressive and hard-working with the bat as they posted a second-innings 301 all out having started the day at 135-5. James Wharton top-scored with 47 off 139 balls, while Felix Organ’s off-spin accounted for 4-59.
Anthony McGrath will have been delighted with his side’s work through the morning, them only losing Matthew Revis en-route to 208-6 at lunch – a lead of 184.
Picture by Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket. Captain Jonny Bairstow at the crease today.
On a slow pitch, run-scoring was never free-flowing throughout the opening two days, and the third morning followed a similar trend, albeit Jonny Bairstow did slog-sweep Organ for six shortly before lunch.
But the task for Yorkshire was to keep wickets in hand. If they did, they could slowly but surely add to their lead.
Revis was bowled by a beauty on 16 by the left-arm spin of Andrew Neal, beaten on the outside edge by just enough turn as he pushed forwards. That left Yorkshire at 171-6, ending a 46-run stand with Wharton.
Bairstow slog-swept another six against Organ just after lunch as Yorkshire’s lead topped 200. Unfortunately, though, he was bowled trying to attack against Neal on 36, with the score now 225-8 in the 76th over, a lead of 201.
Dom Bess and Hill then shared a valuable 58 for the ninth wicket. Bess’s only boundary in 23 was scooped against Kyle Abbott before he was caught behind down leg off Organ – 283-9.
Hill beautifully punched Abbott down the ground for a boundary, and he and Coad took Yorkshire just beyond the 300-mark before the latter was bowled by Organ to wrap things up on the cusp of tea.
Picture by Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket. It was a glorious day at the Utilita Bowl today.
Hampshire then made a settled start as Nick Gubbins and Ali Orr shared 31. But Hill made the breakthrough when he squared up and bowled the latter in the eighth over.
Coad then added to that when he had Gubbins caught low down at first slip by Bess with the score on 48 in the 16th.
Make no mistake, Hampshire are not yet out of this fixture. They settled through the remainder of the day, but 278 does feel like a long way away on this pitch.
And they will have been very frustrated with their third wicket, when Adam Lyth’s first ball saw Jake Lehmann go for a big expansive drive and edge to second slip, where Bess palmed the initial chance in the air and caught the rebound.
Hampshire were 79-3 in the 27th over.
For Yorkshire, the contributions were shared around, though perhaps Hill stood out once again with 37 runs and then figures of 1-7 from six overs having taken the new ball.
Picture by Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket. George Hill helped add valuable late runs for the White Rose today.
Toby Albert played nicely for his unbeaten 36, while Tom Prest will be with him on 12.
Hampshire are going to need somebody to get a big score if they are to deny Yorkshire.
All in all, it’s set up for a fascinating finale on the South Coast.
