SHAUN Marsh and Alex Lees are batting Yorkshire towards safety in their Specsavers County Championship match against Surrey at The Oval.

The second-wicket pair batted through the fourth morning unbroken to help the White Rose side, asked to follow on 198 runs behind, reach lunch on 156-1 from 57 overs, with 62 still to bowl.

The pair advanced the score from 59-1 overnight, Marsh reaching lunch on 71 and Lees 70 after sharing an unbroken stand of 132 inside 47 overs.

Marsh returns to Australia tomorrow after playing the majority of this summer's NatWest T20 Blast and in the last two Championship matches.

He hit 78 in the first innings and reached 50 this morning off 129 balls. Lees, who posted 46 in his first knock, passed 50 off 119.

Securing a draw is imperative for Yorkshire, given Somerset have beaten Lancashire at Taunton to close the gap. A defeat here would leave the White Rose men in the relegation zone with two matches to play.