A superb three-wicket evening spell from Steve Patterson kept Yorkshire’s hopes high after Warwickshire had made significant inroads in reply to a first-innings 259 on day two at York.

Opener Dom Sibley’s 67 had underpinned Warwickshire’s 139-1 from late morning to mid-evening, only for Patterson to reduce them to 148-4 in the space of six overs.

Sibley shared 101 for the second wicket with Rob Yates (49), but both were dismissed by the White Rose skipper, who had earlier in the day posted 60 with the bat. Warwickshire closed on 192 for five from 75 overs.

Yorkshire were in buoyant mood having advanced from 208-8 overnight to 259 all out before lunch on day two, thanks largely to Patterson’s impressive knock.

But Sibley and left-hander Yates threatened to significantly dampen their spirits.

In late 2013, Sibley, whilst playing for Surrey against Yorkshire at the Oval, became the youngest batsman to post a Championship double century - aged 18.

Batting looked an easier task under sunny skies at Clifton Park, highlighted in the first 22 overs of the day when White Rose captain Patterson and ninth-wicket partner James Logan completed a partnership of 48.

Patterson moved to a fourth career fifty off 77 balls and Logan (20 not out) supported him well before Halifax-born Oliver Hannon-Dalby picked up the last two wickets to fall to finish with 5-76, only his second five-wicket haul for Warwickshire since swapping Emerald Headingley for Edgbaston in 2013.

Hannon-Dalby forced Patterson to chop on and bowled Ben Coad to give Warwickshire 20 minutes of batting to do before lunch in front of a crowd of 3,021, which was just short of 500 more than day one.

Both sides actually felt that Yorkshire’s total was around par, if not slightly above, on a surface which favoured the bowlers on day one.

Make no mistake, Yorkshire were far from overrun in the face of Sibley and 19-year-old Yates, who later fell one short of a maiden fifty. They managed to keep the run-rate in check.

But they will be hugely frustrated at dropping catches in each session.

Will Rhodes was dropped by Will Fraine at mid-wicket on one off Coad and then Yates by Adam Lyth at second slip off Patterson, also on one. Jonny Tattersall then couldn’t hold a Yates edge against Jack Leaning on 40 after tea.

Ex-White Rose all-rounder Rhodes went on to make 28, including a clipped six behind square on the leg-side off Coad, before edging the same man to Leaning at third slip, leaving the score at 38-1 in the ninth over.

From then on, Sibley, particularly strong off his legs, and Yates, tied down late in the afternoon with only 13 runs coming off the 10 overs before tea, repelled any danger.

Twenty-three-year-old Sibley is making a late, but strong, bid for an Ashes berth in August. So far this season, he has scored 640 first-class runs, including three hundreds against county opposition. His first came for the MCC against Surrey in Dubai in late March.

Left-arm spinner Logan encouraged in only his second first-class appearance and his first of 2019.

But Patterson proved the key man to raise home hopes as Warwickshire fell from 139-1 in the 57th over to 148-4 in the 63rd.

He bowled Sibley off an inside-edge, had Yates caught at first slip by Tom Kohler-Cadmore and trapped Adam Hose lbw for nought.

David Willey later had Matt Lamb caught at second slip by Lyth (166-5 after 67), capping a Warwickshire loss of four for 27.