YORKSHIRE have achieved a record 265-point haul in an LV= County Championship Division One campaign after beating Hampshire by five wickets at the Ageas Bowl yesterday.

A 20th career first-class century for captain Andrew Gale contributed to reeling in a final day target of 304, with Jack Leaning also adding a crucial 76 off 182 balls as the pair recovered from morning trouble at 37-3.

They shared 190 inside 61 overs for the fourth wicket through until early evening, with Gale finishing with a combative 125 off 225 before Tim Bresnan’s unbeaten 35 helped to finish things off with 4.5 overs to spare.

The day had started with Gale and opposite number James Vince agreeing to manufacture a run chase after rain played a significant part during the first three days.

Yorkshire, at 97-4 replying to 400-9 declared, agreed to declare before play. Hampshire then forfeited their second innings to come up with a challenging target.

Hampshire wanted Yorkshire to chase 320-330 and Yorkshire wanted a 280 target, hence the compromise.

“I didn’t have to do a great deal of negotiating because I held all the cards,” admitted Gale. “I did put my poker glasses on, though. We both wanted a game of cricket. Fair play to Hampshire for setting the game up.

“Since we won the Championship, we have played some poor cricket. I think we needed one or two guys to stand up, and that is what me and Jack Leaning did.

“I was pleased for Jack as he has been in a rough trot and was left out of side. Hopefully he can get another score next week and finish off a fantastic year for him.”

This win was Yorkshire’s tenth Championship success of the season and leaves them needing to beat Sussex at Headingley next week in order to win more matches than any county has managed in two-division cricket.

They also need only two more points to secure a record haul in either division of the Championship since that format was introduced in 2000.

For Hampshire, defeat almost certainly relegates them. Being 16 points from safety, they must hope to beat Notts at Trent Bridge next week and for Sussex and Somerset to slip up badly.

Gale had a slice of luck when he was dropped at second slip on 35 by Liam Dawson off seamer Ryan Stevenson shortly after lunch.

But he reached his third hundred of the season off 193 balls shortly before Leaning edged impressive West Indies quick Fidel Edwards behind to leave the score at 227-4 with 77 required.

This was the 21-year-old right-hander’s highest score since his 110 against Nottinghamshire in late June.

Hampshire had their tails up during the morning following the cheap dismissals of Alex Lees, Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance.

Lees was bowled by Edwards off an inside edge, Lyth run out with a direct hit at the non-striker’s end from mid-wicket and Ballance caught behind down leg-side off Gareth Berg’s medium pace. But Gale and Leaning were superb.

When Gale pulled Edwards to deep square-leg, Yorkshire were 264-4 in the 83rd over with 40 required. Andrew Hodd hit the winning runs.

Bresnan added: “Hampshire let us in the back door a bit with their situation, but that was still an amazing run chase - 304 in 90 overs on that sort of wicket is pretty special.”