Yorkshire 554/7d lead Hampshire 302 & 54/5 by 198 runs

Steven Patterson fired Yorkshire towards almost certain victory as Hampshire collapsed to 54 for five while following on at the Ageas Bowl.

The Yorkshire fast bowler sliced through the Hampshire top order as he celebrated figures of 7-3-9-3.

Hampshire were earlier bowled out for 302, in reply to Yorkshire’s 554-7 dec and ended the day still 198 runs in arrears.

Yorkshire just need five wickets on the final day as they aim to follow up their draw against Nottinghamshire last week.

Hampshire never got going in a nervy period, having been asked to bat again.

Joe Weatherley earned a life on one when he guided Duanne Olivier to Harry Brook at gully, but failed to take advantage of the drop as he nicked Patterson to Kohler-Cadmore at first slip.

Fellow opener James Vince followed suit two overs later before Sam Northeast, who had early scored 99, was lbw.

Matt Waite joined the party when he had Aiden Markram caught behind and then Kyle Abbott plumb leg before - with Rilee Rossouw and Liam Dawson tip-toeing to stumps.

The match has followed a similar pattern to the Ageas Bowl’s opener between Hampshire and Essex last week – where the hosts scored in excess of 500 before rolling their rivals.

Northeast was the glue throughout the first innings as Hampshire struggled despite a slow and flat wicket and blue skies, which was occasionally blocked by the odd cloud.

Having watched Gary Ballance grind out 148 on the first two days, Northeast took a similar method – with few scoring shots of note.

The style was needed having seen both openers Weatherley and Vince depart within six evening overs before Markram’s wicket left the home side 70 for three at the close.

Night-watchman Abbott only lasted four morning overs, during which he was hit on the elbow, before ballooning a bat-pad catch to Harry Brook at short leg.

Basingstoke Gazette: Rilee Rossouw is bowled by Matthew Waite for 33 in Hampshire's first innings (Photo by Neil Marshall)Rilee Rossouw is bowled by Matthew Waite for 33 in Hampshire's first innings (Photo by Neil Marshall)

Rossouw joined Northeast and played his natural exuberant game – the pair adding 51 together.

But his attacking instincts let him down as he played on while attempting to hoick Matt Waite through the legside, leaving Hampshire 138-5 and fighting for bonus points.

But against a softening ball, Northeast and Dawson started to make batting look much easier again.

Northeast reached his fifty in 99 balls while Dawson keenly put away the bad deliveries as he reached an 84-ball half century - the duo put on 109 runs for the sixth wicket.

Basingstoke Gazette: Liam Dawson and Sam Northeast (Photo by Neil Marshall)Liam Dawson and Sam Northeast (Photo by Neil Marshall)

The all-rounder fell for 57 as he attempted to attack Jack Leaning, with Joe Root plucking a catch over his shoulder while backpeddling at mid-on.

Northeast batted in a determined manner and looked set to reach a third successive first-class hundred – having scored 118 against Oxford MCCU and 169 vs Essex.

But having got stuck in the nervous 90s for 14 overs, he was out for 99 after edging an excellent Olivier delivery.

Olivier saw off Northeast and Gareth Berg in successive overs and  gave the Hampshire tail a barrage, thrice striking batsmen on the head.

Patterson then dispatched McManus and Fidel Edwards in successive balls – both caught at first slip by Kohler-Cadmore – before piling more misery on Hampshire.

Hampshire first team manager Adi Birrell admitted: “We’re in trouble. We have 96 overs left but still where there is life there is hope, that was my chat in the changing room.

“I went around the room and said Rilee’s got a 300 on his own in a day, Daws has I don’t know how many hundreds, Lewis has one, Bergy has two and Barks has six – there are still some runs in the shed.

“It is difficult to bat following on but I think we still should have been batting in our first innings. I think we messed up there.

“If you look at the wickets which have fallen they have been to good balls, especially this evening.

“You have to give credit to their bowlers for making us follow on with quite a lot of bowlers on their legs they have bowled well.

“Yesterday evening losing three wickets and losing five this evening is like shooting ourselves in the foot.

“It is very disappointing but we haven’t lost yet. We have to come out tomorrow and believe we can do it.”

Yorkshire first team coach Andrew Gale said : “I am really pleased. We knew it was going to be hard work and we had to show lots of patience and consistency.

“There were parts where they got partnerships but we knew if we hung in their then we could create chances.

“There are some tired minds in their dressing room having fielded for so long we thought that if we got one then we could maybe go through them tonight with them in a defensive mindset.

“The pitch might be slightly more up and down but it is still a good pitch and there is runs there.

“Duanne has now hit five guys on the head already this season! He’s an asset to us. He has raw pace, loves bowling and loves hurting people as well I think!

“On a slow docile pitch to bowl with that pace is great to see.

“Patterson has led from the front today. You know what you are going to get from him, he is consistent in every game he plays.

“He got his rewards at the end there to put us in the driving seat.”