County Championship: Rob Yates & Sam Hain lead Warwickshire response against Hampshire

Teenager Rob Yates was averaging only 16.91 in his previous 12 Championship innings for Warwickshire since making his debut in May

Warwickshire teenager Rob Yates was out just nine runs short of a maiden century as the Bears made a spirited response to Hampshire's 539 all out.

Resuming on 450-6, the hosts added 89 runs for their last four wickets, two going to Olly Stone, who took 5-93 in his first game since his back stress fracture on England duty in January.

The Bears then lost in-form openers Will Rhodes and Dom Sibley cheaply.

But Rob Yates made 91, supported by Sam Hain (68*) as they reached 198-3.

• Relive County Championship day one as it happened

Repolying to a 500-plus score for the second Championship game running, the Bears still need a further 192 to avoid the threat of being asked to follow on.

Yates was dropped twice before he had reached his maiden half-century.

But, just when he had speeded up, was batting more fluently, and looked set to make it to three figures, the 19-year-old Warwickshire Academy graduate holed out to mid-wicket to become a maiden first-class victim for young Australian Felix Organ.

South African Kyle Abbott had earlier removed both Warwickshire openers, finding the edge of Rhodes' bat before persuading England hopeful Sibley - first-class cricket's leading scorer in 2019 - to chip tamely to Rilee Rossouw in the covers.

Hampshire fast bowler Gareth Berg:

"We were a bit unlucky but that is cricket for you. It has happened once too many times for us but we stuck at it well. We knew the ball would do something if we kept it out there.

"We bowled plenty of maidens and were unlucky. We dropped a few catches out there - but we will come back stronger.

"I had a nice little contest with Dom Sibley and we exchanged a few words. Nothing too serious, it was fun - but I would have liked to have seen the edge of his bat.

"The result of the game might depend on the morning. The new ball is not far away so, if we can bang one or two with this old ball and then use the new ball, it could go bang, bang, bang.

Warwickshire batsman Rob Yates told BBC WM:

"I'd be lying if I said there weren't any head noises as I closed in on fifty. It was third time lucky. But I was disappointed not to get over the 100 milestone in the context of the game.

"I'm not the most aggressive batsman so I stuck to what I know and it came off. It was great to bat with Sam Hain. He's a good craic and brings the intensity.

"Being dropped, they don't go down in the book. You have to put them to the back of your mind and start again. I seemed to get into my rhythm more. In the second half of my innings, I found scoring runs easier.

"I didn't have first team cricket on my radar this season but I am trying to learn as much as I can from each game and I'm trying to enjoy it."