County Championship: Rob Yates digs in as Warwickshire pursue victory against Hampshire

Rob Yates has already hit three County Championship centuries for Warwickshire at Edgbaston this summer

Warwickshire closed day three on 139-2, almost halfway there in their pursuit of 296 to beat Hampshire at Edgbaston.

Rob Yates, who is unbeaten on 70, and Dom Sibley (47) set the tone with an opening stand of 99 in 50.4 overs.

But Sibley skied to the keeper when he tried to reach his fifty by sweeping Liam Dawson before Chris Benjamin holed out off the England spinner to mid-on.

Keith Barker (75) and Brad Wheal (46 not out) had earlier helped Hampshire reach 332 in their second innings.

Barker hit his 25th first-class half-century - and the former Bears all-rounder's seventh at Edgbaston - in a 93-run stand with Wheal, who made his career-best score.

After his five-wicket haul with the ball, Barker was eyeing a century when he skied Chemar Holder to Benjamin in the covers - for what proved to be the first of only four wickets to fall in the day.

Danny Briggs then got last man Mohammad Abbas to wrap up the innings five overs later for a three-wicket haul.

But Hampshire then lost Abbas when he limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury just before tea.

Sibley's patient approach with Yates looked untroubled until the discarded England opener's patience ran out and he ended up skying the simplest of catches to wicketkeeper Tom Alsop.

Benjamin then spooned Dawson to Barker at mid-on before Yates and Sam Hain (five not out) defended resolutely through the last nine overs.

After a game in which both sides were bowled out cheaply in their first innings, the day-long scoring rate of barely two runs per over suggests it could be a long way into the final day before this game reaches a conclusion.

Victory would put the Bears back on top of Division One, having been replaced by Yorkshire following the Tykes' two-day win over Somerset.

Warwickshire captain Will Rhodes:

"This is why you want to play Division One cricket and why you want to play against the best teams because they keep coming at you. Fair play to Keith Barker and their lower order for putting such a total on the board, but then the way we applied ourselves with the bat was fantastic.

"Yatesy and Sibs did really well to see off the new ball. As the game has gone on, it is quite a new-ball pitch. As the sun has got on it, it has become harder to score but also harder to take wickets.

"It will be a fascinating day. The incentive couldn't be bigger. A win will keep us at the top. All the hard work that started back in November counts for nothing if you don't get over the line in these games."

Hampshire fast bowler Brad Wheal:

"We are in a decent position. A couple more wickets early doors and we put ourselves in a very good spot to win this game.

"The pitch is getting a little bit slower and flatter as the game goes on but there is definitely enough for the bowlers. We are just trying to keep it tight. They are just going at about two runs an over, and hopefully the chances will come.

"I was pleased with my innings. Barks batted beautifully. He was a good partner to have throughout that stand."

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