County Championship: Hampshire batters offer resistance but Lancashire on course for win

Hampshire's Fletcha Middleton made a career-best 77 before being bowled by George Balderson

Lancashire have a first County Championship win of the season in sight after bowling Hampshire out for 371 in their second innings and reaching 48-2 in pursuit of their 140-run target.

A three-wicket morning burst by George Balderson allowed the hosts to steadily work their way through the six remaining wickets but they were held up by a determined innings of 87 from visiting skipper James Vince on a hard-fought third day of the Division One contest at sweltering Southport.

Hampshire, meanwhile, can take great credit for the way they fought back from a disastrous first day to put themselves in with a chance of turning the game around.

The visitors were 119-1, trailing by 113 runs when play resumed, and Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins added 39 runs to take their second-wicket partnership into three figures until Balderson's intervention reshaped the nature of the morning session.

The Lancashire all-rounder produced a startling 23-ball spell of 3-6, trapping Gubbins lbw for 62, bowling Middleton for a career-best 77 with a delivery that kept a little low, and three balls later having Ben Brown caught behind for a duck.

Vince rallied his troops with some sumptuous drives to take Hampshire ahead shortly after the break, before a moment of controversy saw George Bell claim his maiden first-class wicket.

Liam Dawson attempted a reverse sweep against the off-spinner and was clearly disappointed to be given out caught behind for 26, the batter gesticulating his displeasure as he walked off.

There was little debate when Will Williams trapped Felix Organ in front for four, with Hampshire 252-6 and only 20 ahead.

However, Vince and Keith Barker dug in to produce a determined alliance that had added 40 runs when Barker edged a drive off Tom Bailey to Daryl Mitchell to first slip for 18.

Mason Crane provided further solid support to help Vince take the Hampshire lead into three figures after tea, before edging Jack Blatherwick to Rob Jones at slip for 22.

Running out of partners, Vince hit out only to perish to a catch at deep square leg off Mitchell, but his superb effort had given Hampshire something to bowl at, especially when Kyle Abbott added 23 more to the total before being last out to an outstanding catch by Williams.

Chasing a target of 140, Lancashire made a nervy start losing Phil Salt and Balderson cheaply to Mohammad Abbas and Barker respectively and it could have been three if Vince had held on to a late chance at slip when Dane Vilas edged off Abbott.

However, Lancashire are clear favourites to score the remaining 92 runs required on Wednesday.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.