HAMPSHIRE coach Dale Benkenstein remains hopeful of a win against Yorkshire – despite the loss of most of day three to rain.

Only 7.4 overs were possible on the third day of Hampshire’s crucial LV County Championship match against Yorkshire at The Ageas Bowl.

Yorkshire, 82-4 overnight, added 15 runs for no further loss before bad light and then torrential rain prevented any more play.

Hampshire, who made 400-9 declared in their first innings, will be aiming for the five wickets they need in 68 overs to secure maximum bonus points on the final day.

But Benkenstein believes a win against Yorkshire is still possible.

“We’re in the best position we can be having lost this amount of time and we still have a chance of winning the game,” he said.

“It’s important to pick up as many points as we can and if we have a good first session or so we could win.

“It’s nice to be in this position, especially against such a strong side.”

Taking 16 wickets against the county champions is surely too much to ask, but Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale will be open to a manufactured finish with his side needing a win to break the competition’s points record.

“We’ll chat to Yorkshire, there may be an opportunity to leave them a score,” said Benkenstein., whose side are nine points behind third-from-bottom Somerset going into the final day of the penultimate round of games.

“But ideally we’ll take it to the last game and back ourselves to naturally stay up.

“I don’t like setting up games but we can get all the bowling points and five for the draw, then see where we are.

Whatever happens today, Benkenstein believes “there’s a good chance of us beating Notts at Trent Bridge” next week, which could be enough to secure Hampshire’s first division status.