Yorkshire slump as Hampshire set sights on victory

Rothesay County Championship, Division One, Headingley (day three) Hampshire 251 & 351-5d: Brown 103*, Lehman 92, Prest 53; Van Beek 4-85 Yorkshire 177 & 65-5: Bean 29*, Wharton 21; Abbott 4-11 Yorkshire (3pts) need 361 runs to beat Hampshire (4pts) with five wickets remaining Match scorecard Captain Ben Brown's brilliant unbeaten 103 helped Hampshire set Yorkshire 426 to win shortly after tea on day three of the County Championship fixture at Headingley before Kyle Abbott starred with the ball before close. Hampshire have dominated here following last weekend's innings defeat at home to Essex and would be deserved victors. Wicketkeeper-batter Brown accelerated after lunch alongside Jake Lehmann - they shared an entertaining 172 for the fifth wicket - to fashion an early-evening declaration at 351-5.

Lehmann's 92 came off 130 balls, while Brown hit four leg-side sixes in 109. South African Abbott, who struck four times in the first innings, matched that haul after tea as Yorkshire slumped and closed on 65-5 from 29 overs. Former Sussex man Brown has now scored four of his 28 career first-class centuries against Yorkshire, who this morning had to utilise the injury substitution rule for the second time in less than 24 hours following illness to seamer Jack White.

He has picked up the same bug as Australian Test quick Jhye Richardson, who was earlier replaced by Dutchman Logan van Beek. Ben Cliff came in at the start of play, and Van Beek was Yorkshire's stand-out bowler with 4-85 from 20 overs. Only 9.

1 overs were bowled during a rainy morning. Tom Prest advanced from 31 overnight to 53 before being run out backing up just after lunch, the deflection coming from Van Beek following Lehmann's firm drive. At that stage, Hampshire were 142-4, leading by 216.