YORKSHIRE enjoyed a productive third-afternoon session to claim the advantage over Warwickshire at Headingley.

The White Rose celebrated two wickets apiece for Steve Patterson and Tim Bresnan in this crucial Specsavers County Championship match, their penultimate of the campaign.

A Yorkshire win would all but secure their Division One status for next year, although a defeat or a draw would leave them nervy ahead of next week’s final-round trip to Essex.

Close rivals Middlesex beat Lancashire at Lord’s this afternoon.

Warwickshire have reached tea at 225-7 from 76 overs, a lead of 148.

A Yorkshire win is the most likely result with four sessions remaining.

The hosts secured the wickets of Jonathan Trott for 59 and Tim Ambrose for 49, with rain delaying play for 20 minutes in the first half of the session.

The impressive Patterson had Trott and Matt Lamb (25) lbw either side of the rain delay, which cut one over from the day’s allocation.

That left the Bears at 161-5 after 58 overs.

Bresnan later bowled debutant all-rounder Alex Thomson for 20 to make it 209-6 in the 72nd over, a lead of 132.

He then forced Ambrose to edge to first slip, where Alex Lees took a smart catch in the next over, leaving the visitors at 216-7, a lead of 139.

First-innings centurion Jeetan Patel is at the crease on two not out.