YORKSHIRE have lost Alex Lees, Gary Ballance, Adam Lyth and Jonny Bairstow cheaply before lunch on day four against Hampshire to raise the visitors’ hopes of an unlikely win.
The champions still look likely to start their Specsavers County Championship campaign with a draw, but they have work to do at 67-4 from 23 overs.
That equates to a lead of 207 with a minimum of 65 overs left in the day at Headingley.
Hampshire’s first-innings reply to 593-9 declared ended on 493-9 declared, with Fidel Edwards unfit to bat having been taken to hospital following an ankle injury in the warm-ups.
After Ryan Sidebottom took the ninth Hampshire wicket this morning when Chris Wood was caught at second slip, Lees was trapped lbw by James Tomlinson, who also had Ballance caught at cover.
Lyth was caught behind flashing at a wide one from Ryan McLaren, leaving the score at 35-3.
And when Bairstow was caught behind off the same bowler in the 18th over, Yorkshire were 43-4 with a lead of 183 with a little over 70 left in the day.
Andrew Gale and Jack Leaning are currently the not out batsmen.
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