County Championship: Tom Prest century saves Hampshire from follow-on against Essex

Tom Prest's hundred was his first in first-class cricket following two in List A matches

Tom Prest brilliantly scored his maiden County Championship century to frustrate title hopefuls Essex despite Simon Harmer's 35th first-class five-wicket haul for the county.

Former England under-19 skipper Prest masterfully scored an unbeaten 102 to guide Hampshire past the follow-on score with vital contributions from Toby Albert, Fletcha Middleton, James Vince and Keith Barker.

South African Harmer claimed 5-143 as he churned away from the River End for 36 overs but Hampshire ended the day on 322-8 - and 125 runs adrift - with a potential to set up a result on the final day.

Albert and Middleton had seen out seven overs the previous evening and combined on the third morning with a mix of patience and skill to clear the new ball with little problems.

Middleton survived a missed stumping on 17, the first of a few missteps from Essex, as the 21-year-old openers put on 68.

But the arrival of Paul Walter's tall left-arm pace to the attack immediately saw the back of Albert, when he pinned him lbw with an in-swinging yorker.

Nick Gubbins pushed to second slip to give Harmer his first before the off-spinner bowled a slog sweeping Middleton for 47.

Vince had arrived with intent to counter and smashed 46 in 45 balls - capped by hitting Matt Critchley back over his head for six.

He and fellow experienced middle-order batter Liam Dawson fell in consecutive overs playing aggressive shots - Vince skying a top edge to long off, while Dawson slogged a sweep from well outside off stump to square leg.

Essex's title hopes looked bright with Hampshire 141-5 and in a prime follow-on position, and Surrey collapsing at the Oval against Northamptonshire.

But Prest flipped the script by partnering up with the lower-middle order to defy Harmer and bat Hampshire towards a position of strength.

Prest has long been talked about in the same breath as Vince, with his powerful shot-making and wonderful ability to find boundaries.

His red-ball form, in his first six outings, had been disappointing, especially compared to his sparkling white-ball record - which included two List A centuries and four Vitality Blast fifties.

Here, he scored 36 of his 69-ball half-century in boundaries with plenty of resilience shown in a dodgy situation for his team.

Prest put on 54 with the uneasy Brown - who survived a simple catch at square leg when on one before he was caught off the bat-pad for Harmer's fourth.

Prest was dropped at second slip the ball after bringing up his first Championship fifty but was otherwise chanceless, amid turn and invariable bounce from Harmer.

Barker, who was so close to winning this fixture last season, utilised his well-honed reverse sweep and dipped into his experience to join forces with his young seventh wicket partner - the pair putting on 89 together.

Barker fell trying to pull Sam Cook before Felix Organ gave Harmer his fifth with a misjudged slog sweep.

Kyle Abbott now stewarded Prest to make sure Hampshire averted the follow-on - which he managed with a pair of sixes in the 77th over.

Prest then reached three figures in 119 balls after the second new ball had been taken but bad light took the players off just before 16:30 before rain ended any hope of more play.

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.