Hampshire v Yorkshire (County Championship) : Day Four

One of the most sensational all-round performances in Yorkshire's history, by Younus Khan, was not quite enough for them to preserve their 100 per cent winning record in the LV County Championship at the Rose Bowl on Saturday when Hampshire clung on for a tense draw.

After becoming the only Yorkshire player to score a double century and a century in the same match, Younis plagued Hampshire with his leg-spin to return career-best figures of four for 52.

But none of the seven other bowlers could cause similar problems and Hampshire survived, although Yorkshire had the satisfaction of being the better side over the four days.

Yorkshire looked set to wrap up a third consecutive Championship win when they had Hampshire on 336 for eight with almost 14 overs remaining as they chased a mammoth 443.

But wicketkeeper Nic Pothas was just as unflinching as in the first innings when he was unbeaten on 70, and he found an equally stubborn partner in Australian fast bowler, Stuart Clark.

Despite having fielders crowding the bat as Younus and Adil Rashid desperately tried to finish things off, the ninth wicket pair stuck it out to the close, when Pothas was 76 off 124 balls with ten boundaries and Clark had made three from 23 deliveries.

The hard-fought game ended with Hampshire on 366 for eight, the highest fourth innings score recorded by Yorkshire opponents to draw a match.

Both sides claimed nine points from the game but the stalemate meant that Warwickshire took over from Yorkshire at the top of the Division One table by three points following their victory over Worcestershire.

Hampshire began the final day on 16 for one and Jason Gillespie quickly shifted nightwatchman, James Bruce, by knocking back his off-stump.

James Adams, however, was in the same unyielding mood as at Headingley Carnegie last season when he scored an unbeaten 168 as Hampshire cruised to a record 404 target, and he and John Crawley put on 94 before Crawley was caught at silly mid-off in Younus' first over for 50.

Just when Adams appeared set for another century he was snared by Younus for 90 off 188 balls with 14 fours and the Pakistani made it 208 for five when Chris Benham edged his drive to Anthony McGrath at slip.

The main stumbling block now was former Yorkshire batsman, Michael Lumb, who showed considerable restraint in reaching 57 off 114 balls with six boundaries before he, too, succumbed to Younus, caught off bat and pad at silly point by Jacques Rudolph, who held four catches in the innings.

Sean Ervine became Rashid's only victim before Shane Warne and Pothas shared a 50 stand in ten overs, which saw the game go into the final hour. Yorkshire's spirits rose when Gillespie found the edge of Warne's bat, but in the end they were unable to destroy the Hampshire tail.

Younus said later that he considered his double century to be one of the best innings he had ever played and his only disappointment was that Yorkshire had not managed maximum batting bonus points.

"I am looking forward to playing a full season with Yorkshire and I hope that the experience I gain will make me a better player when I return to Pakistan," he said.

Yorkshire Phoenix today play Leicestershire Foxes at Headingley in the Friends Provident Trophy and are aiming to extend their 100 per cent record in the competition with a third consecutive victory.

Phoenix (from): White, Rudolph, McGrath, Younus Khan, Gale, Brophy, Pyrah, Bresnan, Gough, Gillespie, Patterson, Gilbert, Wainwright

SCORECARD

Hampshire v Yorkshire at The Rose Bowl.

Overnight: Yorkshire 299 (Younis Khan 106, M
P Vaughan 72, A Rashid 54;J T A Bruce 4-56)
and 439-4 dec (Younis Khan 202 no, G L Brophy
100 no, M JHoggard 61). Hampshire 296
(M J Brown 105, N Pothas 70 no; T T Bresnan4-
65) and 16-1.

Hampshire Second Innings
J H Adams c McGrath b Younis Khan 90
J T Bruce b Gillespie 4
J P Crawley c Rudolph b Younis Khan 50
M J Lumb c Rudolph b Younis Khan 57
C C Benham c McGrath b Younis Khan 5
N Pothas not out 76
S M Ervine c Rudolph b A Rashid 14
S K Warne c Rudolph b Gillespie 33
S R Clark not out 3
Extras (b9 lb7 nb10 pens 0) 26
Total 8 wkts (105 overs) 366
Fall: 1-12 2-22 3-116 4-198 5-208 6-265 7-
286 8-336
Did Not Bat: J A Tomlinson.
Total Bonus Pts: Hampshire 5 Yorkshire 5
Bowling: Hoggard 11-2-30-0. Gillespie 14-3-44-3. A
Rashid 33-4-126-1. Bresnan 7-1-42-0. Gough
15-4-33-0. McGrath 6-2-15-0. Rudolph 1-0-8-0.
Younis Khan 18-4-52-4.
Hampshire (9pts) drew with Yorkshire (9pts)