YORKSHIRE captain Andrew Gale believes that his side will have to win both of their remaining games in the County Championship if they are to claim the title.

His comments came after a battling display from the Tykes on the final day at Scarborough was enough to secure a seven-point draw against Hampshire.

That was enough to see Yorkshire go back to the top of the table, albeit for 24 hours until Notts’ game with Lancashire finishes.

“We will have to beat Nottinghamshire in our next game now,” said Gale.

“This result means that we are certainly still in the hunt to win the championship. I am proud of what the players have achieved.”

If they are to overcome the current table toppers in their next four-day match in 12 days, and then Kent at Headingley a week later, Yorkshire will have to improve on their performance on the final day against Hampshire.

After the visitors declared before lunch with a first-innings lead of 176, after Jimmy Adams and James Vince had smashed the county’s all-time record for a fourth-wicket partnership, it appeared that the Tykes were going to comfortably bat out a draw.

However, after Adam Lyth was caught by Adams at short-fine leg off Dominic Cork for 44, the nerves started to creep in at 87 for one.

Jacques Rudolph was next to go for 54, with a rare rash shot to find Michael Carberry at point off David Balcombe, before Anthony McGrath departed for 20.

Hampshire led by 29 runs and, after captain Gale was out for 24, Jonathan Bairstow once again showed his ability to perform under pressure to see the Tykes to safety.

His innings of 50, along with Gerard Brophy’s unbeaten ten, meant that the players shook hands at 4.55pm to rubberstamp the stalemate with a Yorkshire declaration on 224 for four.

“I think in recent seasons we probably would have lost this game,” added Gale.

“We have shown once again that this team has plenty of fighting spirit and the good thing is that we are very difficult to beat. That is very encouraging.”

Scoreboard

Yorkshire v Hampshire At Scarborough

Overnight: Yorkshire 322-9 dec (A U Rashid 76, A Lyth 63; D G Cork5-64). Hamps 367-3

Hampshire First Innings

J H Adams b Patterson ...................196

J M Vince c Bairstow b A U Rashid .180

S M Ervine run out ................................30

M D Bates not out ................................. 1

Extras (b12 lb8 w1 nb4 pens 0) ..25

Total 6 wkts dec (121.4 overs)498

Fall: 1-105 2-135 3-152 4-430 5-493 6-498

Bowling: Bresnan 2-0-7-0. Shahzad 26-5-90- 1. Patterson 27-6-77-2. Hannon-Dalby 20-4- 78-0. A U Rashid 25-1-114-1. Pyrah 13.4-0- 80-1. McGrath 7-0-27-0. Rudolph 1-0-5-0.

Yorkshire Second Innings

A Lyth c Adams b Cork ..........................44

J A Rudolph c Carberry b Balcombe ....54

A McGrath c McKenzie b Briggs ...........20

A W Gale c Benham b Briggs ................24

J M Bairstow not out .............................50

G L Brophy not out ...............................10

Extras (b12 nb11 pens 0) ............23

Total 4 wkts dec (52 overs)....225

Fall: 1-87 2-129 3-147 4-190

Bowling: Cork 9-1-48-1. Tomlinson 10-2-46- 0. Briggs 15-2-60-2. Balcombe 9-2-35-1. Carberry 1-0-4-0. Ervine 8-2-20-0.

Yorkshire (7pts) drew with Hampshire (11pts).