Yorkshire face an uphill battle to defend a 228 target and secure a notable win over Specsavers County Championship leaders Surrey at Scarborough.
Surrey head into day four on 89-0 having had much the better of day three, which included a five-wicket haul for ex-South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel.
The White Rose would have been delighted to claim a first-innings lead of 75 before lunch, but they were bowled out for 152 second time around as Morkel starred against the county he played once for as overseas in 2008 before injury.
He claimed 5-39 from 16 overs as seven Yorkshire batsmen made it into double figures with no one bettering Steve Patterson’s unbeaten 25.
Surrey’s day started by advancing their first-innings reply to 342 from 219-7 to 267 all out, including an eye-catching 69 not out from youngster Ollie Pope.
Pope, who scored a century in the win over Yorkshire at the Oval earlier this season, was watchful before opening up as he ran out of partners.
He is the leading run-scorer in Division One with 654 at an average of 93.42.
Ben Coad claimed all three Surrey wickets to fall in the space of four balls across two overs with the new ball and finished with 5-53.
One of those wickets was Morkel, caught at second slip for 29 having completed a stand of 56 for the eighth wicket with wicketkeeper batsman Pope.
That alliance was to resurface again in Yorkshire’s second innings as two of Morkel’s wickets were caught behind, including Adam Lyth superbly taken down the leg-side as the hosts slipped to 42-4 at lunch.
Morkel made the initial breakthrough when Alex Lees holed out to mid-on before Gary Ballance provided a third for the 33-year-old as he cut to point.
In the final over of the morning, Rikki Clarke had Harry Brook caught behind – Yorkshire four down with 117 in front.
Five overs after lunch, Jade Dernbach bowled Che Pujara (17) as he offered no stroke to end his final Championship innings before August’s Test series between England and India.
He leaves the county having scored 172 runs from 12 Championship innings with a best of 41, although he was superb in 50-over cricket.
Morkel then had Jack Leaning caught behind and Ryan Patel removed Tim Bresnan the same way as Yorkshire slipped to 103-7 in the 46th, leading by 178.
They reached tea 10 runs better off, at which point Morkel had four-for.
His fifth was to follow shortly afterwards when Jonny Tattersall was trapped lbw as he tried to play to leg for 23, the highest score of the innings at that point (115-8 in the 53rd).
By the time Patterson had usurped him to move to 25, Yorkshire’s lead was up to 219 at 144-8.
But the innings was wrapped up by Dernbach, who struck twice in four balls in the 64th over to get Jack Brooks caught at first slip and Coad bowled.
Surrey openers Rory Burns and Mark Stoneman then started the chase confidently and will begin the final day unbeaten on 55 and 32 respectively. For Stoneman, it was his highest score of 2018.
If the visitors win here, it will be their fifth win in seven matches this season.
