Good morning from Headingley, where it is day three and definitely a pivotal day in this fixture.
The weather – sunny as I type – looks more settled than it has done over the last couple of days, and Hampshire just about hold sway at the halfway stage with a lead of 49. Yorkshire will resume on 5-0 in their second innings.
This has been a funny old game. Only Sam Northeast and the excellent James Fuller have reached 50, while 10 others from both sides have made it into the teens without going on to post any score of substance. The bowling from both sides has been impressive, led by Fuller, Fidel Edwards and Ben Coad. But the batting has at times been reckless.
I still can’t fathom what Rilee Rossouw was thinking yesterday. He came in with Hampshire 80-3 before lunch replying to 181 and played a shot a ball in a six-ball knock which yielded a four and six. Then, immediately after hitting David Willey over long-off into the Trueman Enclosure here, he top-edged an ugly swipe and was caught at first slip for 12. Had he batted positively but properly, he could have easily taken this game away from Yorkshire. As it is, they are very much in the hunt in swinging conditions. A 200 target could be very tricky for Hampshire to chase.
There are two other games ongoing in Division One. At Edgbaston, Warwickshire have ‘slow out of the blocks champions’ Surrey on the rack with a lead of 131 and all 10 second-innings wickets in hand (26-0). Jeetan Patel keeps on keeping on and claimed three wickets in an over yesterday. He must be one of the best overseas signings of the modern era?
Ironically, Essex also lead Kent by 131 at Chelmsford, but they are yet to start their second innings. They will do immediately this morning.
In Division Two, leaders Lancashire (47-2) and Gloucestershire (205) are in for more frustration at Cheltenham College due to a wet pitch. Overnight rain after day one seeped through the join in the wheelie covers on both ends of the pitch, forcing yesterday’s abandonment. Some media colleagues present down there aren’t particularly hopeful of any further play in the game. There will be an inspection at 10.30am.
It should be one heck of a finish at Grace Road, where ball has dominated bat between Leicestershire and Derbyshire. The visitors lead by 179 with two second-innings wickets in hand. Leicester already require the highest score of the match to claim victory.
Middlesex are all over Worcestershire at New Road. Dawid Malan has enjoyed an excellent return from injury – 45 in the first innings and 107 not out in the second – with Middlesex 195-2 in the second innings leading by 260 as they chase their first win of the summer.
Glamorgan, with plenty still to do to avoid defeat to Sussex at Hove in a clash between Jason Gillespie’s current and former county, have at least made a decent start to their second innings at 137-1. They trail by 97, with Australian Marnus Labuschagne on 77 and Nick Selman 45.