Hampshire v Yorkshire: Gary Ballance leads resistance after visitors follow on

Gary Ballance has now scored 361 runs against Hampshire this season and has nine hundreds in 13 first-class matches as Yorkshire captain

Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance led the resistance after Hampshire enforced the Tykes to follow on.

Ballance struck a hard-fought 108 to help Yorkshire reach 231 before the hosts asked them to bat again.

Yorkshire lost Adam Lyth and England Test captain Joe Root cheaply, but Ballance (78 not out) and Alex Lees (70) put on 150 to steady the innings.

Lees was caught behind off Kyle Abbott late on, but Peter Handscomb survived to leave them 178-3, 46 runs behind.

Yorkshire lost to Hampshire in the season's opening game but Ballance has defied his side's struggles against them, scoring two centuries and two fifties in four innings.

He was at his gritty best on day three, hitting 12 fours in his 198-ball first innings to add to lower-order contributions from Adil Rashid (34) and Steven Patterson (21 not out).

Brad Wheal (2-63) had Rashid caught by James Vince, Liam Dawson (2-25) bowled David Willey and pinned Ballance lbw before Reece Topley dismissed last man Ben Coad to claim his first wicket since returning from injury.

After enforcing the follow-on, the home side were firmly on top at 20-2 when Lyth was caught behind off Gareth Berg and Root fell lbw to Abbott (2-42) for just two, giving him a tally of only 10 runs in the match.

But the crucial partnership between Ballance and Lees ensured Yorkshire go into the final day with hope of avoiding a double by Hampshire.

Hampshire head coach Craig White told BBC Radio Solent:

"We'd have taken this position at the start of the game. We battled hard with the bat and the first innings with the ball was good.

"They have got stuck in with the bat today and the wicket is pretty good. Ballance is a quality player.

"He's in good touch so we've just got to try and be patient with him tomorrow and see what happens in the first hour."

Yorkshire batsman Alex Lees told BBC Radio Leeds:

"We'd have liked to bat a bit longer this morning. We have put up a bit of a fight there from lunch onwards. But there is a lot of hard work yet to go.

"I've felt good all year but have just been getting out, which sometimes happens. It was like I had a 100 begging. I'm disappointed not to get there.

"Gary is in a really good place, which is good for any batter. He has a responsibility as captain which has kept him focused. It is bringing the best out of him."

England Test captain Joe Root scored just 10 runs in two innings on his return to the Yorkshire side