Hampshire’s LV County Championship destiny is still in their own hands as they prepare take on champions Yorkshire at The Ageas Bowl.

Confidence has been restored after James Vince’s side secured a vital draw against Somerset at Taunton on Saturday.

Jimmy Adams (136), Vince (77) and Will Smith (50) were the only batsmen to be dismissed on the final day.

Somerset had to settle for an increase of their lead over Hampshire to 11 points and not 24 after the visitors closed on 411-4 having started their second innings 390 runs behind.

Sussex are also 11 points above Hampshire and host Somerset in the penultimate round of games at Hove from today.

So second-from-bottom Hampshire know what they need to do.

If they inflict a rare second successive defeat on Yorkshire this week they will be very well placed to stay up when they play their last game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge next week – whatever happens at Hove over the next four days.

The champions will be determined to bounce back from Saturday's first defeat of the season, against Middlesex at Lord's, and they have the Championship’s record points total in their sights.

But there is more at stake for Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl this week.

With Somerset at home to Warwickshire and Sussex away to Yorkshire in the final week of the season, there is everything to play for.

Worcestershire, now 15 points adrift at the bottom, are at Durham today and host Middlesex in the final week.

But Hampshire’s focus is on erasing the gap on one of Sussex or Somerset after fighting back so impressively at Taunton.

Having started the final day on 258-1, Hampshire lost their captain in the sixth over when Vince was caught at gully soon after Craig Overton took the second new ball.

A rain break took out 12 overs before Adams was caught behind pushing forward to Peter Trego’s medium pace in the third over after lunch (his 313-ball 136 included 19 fours).

After putting on 72 with Smith, Dawson (44) and Ervine (13) ensured the deficit was erased, with hands shaken at 4.20pm.

It was a fine response to conceding 630-9 after being bowled out for 240 on day one, having lost the toss.

“We were going to bat anyway but it wasn’t the ideal first innings on a wicket like that,” said Vince, whose side is now unbeaten in four Championship matches, including two wins, since he replaced Adams as captain.

“It got flatter and flatter as the game went on, the new ball didn’t do a huge amount. It’s definitely the flattest wicket we’ve played on all year.

“We put ourselves under pressure and they batted really well but we applied ourselves well [in the second innings].

“To bat 160 overs and only lose four wickets was a great effort. It means it's in our hands still.”

Play starts at 10.30am tomorrow.

Hampshire (from): Carberry, Adams, Smith, Vince, Ervine, Wheater, Dawson, Berg, Crane, Edwards, Tomlinson, Stevenson, McLaren.

Yorkshire (from): Ballance, Bresnan, Brooks, Fisher, Gale (captain), Hodd (wicketkeeper), Leaning, Lees, Lyth, Middlebrook, Patterson, Rhodes, Sidebottom.