YORKSHIRE have work to do to avoid a rare Roses County Championship defeat against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford today.

The Red Rose side have dominated the first three days of this contest to give themselves a chance of a first win in their last seven Specsavers Division One matches.

They bowled Yorkshire out for 360 in reply to a first-innings 494 after tea on day three before adding to a 134 lead with 70-0 from 21 second-innings overs at close thanks to Haseeb Hameed and Tom Smith.

A draw is still the most likely outcome in this match given the pitch is still decent for batting on, but a Lancashire win is far from impossible.

Their left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan, who took three wickets, is expecting the surface to deteriorate significantly today “if the sun shines and bakes it”.

It would be their first win against Yorkshire at this venue since 2000 and a huge blow to the champions’ title hopes given that leaders Middlesex beat Durham inside three days at Lord’s yesterday.

Yorkshire at least managed to avoid the follow-on target of 345 just before tea, with opener Alex Lees contributing 85, captain Andrew Gale 83, Jake Lehmann 46 on debut and Andrew Hodd an important 43.

They were season’s best scores for Gale and Hodd, the latter who shared a crucial 58 with Steve Patterson for the eighth wicket to recover from 283-7 after lunch.

"It was a bit annoying them coming off 60-odd for none there, but the boys showed fight with the bat,” admitted Hodd.

“We thought this might have been a game to win, but how it's looking it might be a dead one unless they come out firing.

“If we hadn't avoided the follow-on, there was only one team who could have won. We were hoping to make inroads in the third innings, but it looks likely to peter out now.”

Lees and Gale completed a watchful third-wicket stand of 130 before both fell late in the morning session.

Kyle Jarvis then took two of three wickets to fall for eleven runs as Yorkshire slipped into trouble – seven down and 62 away from the follow-on target.

But Hodd, particularly strong on the drive, played nicely alongside Patterson (20).

Sussex-born Hodd is someone Yorkshire can always rely on, particularly with the gloves.

It is just a shame for him that, as the county’s back-up wicketkeeper, he will now sit out Thursday’s 50-over quarter-final against Kent at Canterbury and Saturday’s T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston.

England trio Joe Root, Gary Ballance and Jonny Bairstow have all been made available for both days, and Bairstow will take the gloves.

But Hodd, 32-years-old, is determined to look on the bright side.

“It is a disappointment and it isn’t,” he added. “I’m used to it it really with the big lads coming back.

“If it strengthens the team, it’s a no-brainer. Hopefully I’ll get a medal if we win anyway and I’ll have a headache on Sunday morning.

“Honestly, back in the day it would have hurt a little bit more. But now, you just want success for the team and everyone in the changing room rather than personal milestones.”