ANDREW Gale is hoping Yorkshire can take a giant stride towards a third straight Specsavers County Championship title with back-to-back home wins, starting with Durham at Headingley tomorrow.

Captain Gale was was hugely frustrated at his side not being able to convert their early match dominance over Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl into a victory during Saturday’s fourth day, with weather hurting them badly as they settled for a ten-point draw.

But at least leaders Middlesex were also thwarted by rain and bad light as they draw with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

And Gale has pointed to Yorkshire’s exceptional record in Championship cricket at Headingley in recent years as a reason to be cheerful.

The gap between the Division One’s leading pair is now just four points with three matches to go.

Yorkshire face Durham and Somerset at Headingley, the latter being next week, while Middlesex have two away games to contend with.

They travel to Trent Bridge to face rock bottom Nottinghamshire tomorrow before taking on Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford next week.

Yorkshire then travel to Lord’s to take on Middlesex in a potential winner takes all battle during the final round of the summer, a scenario Gale would like to avoid.

The White Rose have only lost once in 28 Championship matches at Headingley since Jason Gillespie took over as coach ahead of 2012, winning 13 of them.

And Gale said: “We must have one of the best home records in the country over the last few years.

“The title race is wide open, but the two games at home will be key.

“If we can win our next two, we’ll be right up there and hopefully get one over Middlesex.

“You want to avoid it going down to the last game if possible. It’s like a one-day game where you don’t want it going down to the last over.”

Gale admitted he was happy with his side’s current position heading into the final three weeks of a season which hasn’t run like clockwork for the champions.

"Given everything we've had thrown at us this year, with injuries, particularly to the bowlers and stuff, the guys are coming into form at the right time now,” he said.

“We’re also ticking off the partnerships with the bat. It will be an exciting three weeks for sure.”

The bad weather on the South Coast meant 128.2 overs were lost across the four days, including 77 on day three and 38.2 on Saturday’s fourth day - the latter all coming after tea.

Up until then, Yorkshire still had a realistic chance of victory as they had restricted Hampshire to 84-4 chasing a target of 298.

Jack Brooks struck three times in 12 balls, including getting England Test batsman James Vince caught at first slip for 16, as the hosts slipped from 50-1 to 74-4.

“At four down, I'd have backed us to win that game with another 40 or 50 overs of play,” added Gale.

“I was speaking to the lads at the end, and I thought we played some really good cricket in the game. We drove the game really.”

Earlier, Yorkshire had scored 95 runs in the first 22 overs of play to set up a second-innings declaration on 238-5. Gary Ballance top-scored with 72.