Andrew Gale faces possible disciplinary action from the England & Wales Cricket Board after showing dissent before being dramatically recalled by the umpires during a hard-fought third day of the Roses match at Headingley.

The Yorkshire captain was on 25 in the second over after lunch when Lancashire appealed for a catch behind down the leg-side off captain Glen Chapple, which was upheld by umpire Peter Willey.

He gestured several times to Willey that the ball had hit his thigh pad and, after consulting with square-leg official Ian Gould, he reversed his decision, allowing Gale to hit an unbeaten 95 and help Yorkshire reach 243, conceding a first-innings deficit of 82.

Three wickets for Tim Bresnan before bad light halted play left Lancashire struggling on 48-3, leading by 130 runs, but Gale now faces possible penalty points for his reaction, despite apologising to the umpires after play.

“I should have walked off really, that’s what you’re supposed to do in cricket,” conceded Gale.

“Pete admitted it was a terrible decision and he got it wrong so as I was walking off I told him I had a mark on my trousers, I had a big red mark on my trousers where it hit me, so he called me back.

“I was a bit shocked, to be honest, but fair play to him because it takes a brave man to admit he’s wrong like that.”

A report into the incident will now be sent to the England and Wales Cricket Board, who are likely to give Gale penalty points that could result in a ban should he be involved in similar incidents in the near future.

The controversy overshadowed a compelling day’s play, with Yorkshire struggling to combat Lancashire’s swing and seam and losing seven wickets in the afternoon session after resuming overnight on 29 without loss.

All-rounder Tom Smith claimed 5-49 and was Yorkshire’s chief tormentor, but other than a half- century for Adam Lyth at the top of the order, Gale was given precious little other support from a batting line-up that has scored 400 in each of their previous five matches.