Vince & Ervine Centuries Give Hampshire Hope

James Vince (119) and Sean Ervine (123) both hit centuries to give Hampshire a fighting chance of salvaging a positive result as they dominated the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley.

The Hants skipper hit his first ton of the new campaign in 173 balls (15 fours) before lunch as Hampshire made a bright start to the day.

Ervine was then excellently supported by Adam Wheater (62) after lunch and the pair broke the record for the highest seven wicket partnership ever for Hampshire versus Yorkshire.

It was then Ryan McLaren’s turn to continue his promising form with the bat as he hit an unbeaten 55 to help Hampshire avoid the follow-on and reach 450-8 at stumps, 143 runs behind.

When Hampshire began the third day on 141 for five they were still 452 runs adrift on the first innings but the Specsavers County Championship title-holders were only able to pick up three scalps in the three sessions and the visitors closed on 450 for eight, having just avoided the prospect of following on.

Vince, 76 overnight to Ervine's seven, made his way in some style to 119 before he left a ball from Steven Patterson which cut back and trapped him lbw.

Vince's stand with Ervine had added 75 in 26 overs and when Ervine was on 20 he was struck painfully on the left hand by a rising ball from Liam Plunkett which caused him to have several minutes of on-the-field treatment before he was able to continue.

Although in some discomfort, Ervine survived a barrage of short stuff from Plunkett, his most anxious moment coming soon afterwards when Andrew Gale just failed to reach a chance at short leg.

If the Zimbabwean was suffering it only seemed to add to his resolve as he and Adam Wheater tamed a Yorkshire attack which is the envy of other counties. They were able to deny Yorkshire a third bowling bonus point and at the same time feel some satisfaction at securing three batting points for their own side.

Ervine stood on 49 at lunch and 99 at the tea interval with Yorkshire desperate enough to turn to Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance for a few overs before the second break. Ervine pulled Ballance for six but had to wait a while for his 18th first class century which came with a delicate cut to the boundary off Patterson. He had faced 205 balls and struck 12 fours and a six.

Wheater's no-frills half-century arrived off 126 balls with eight boundaries but when he had helped add 143 for the seventh wicket he carted Patterson to Ballance at mid-wicket and departed for 62.

Alex Lees at cover failed to make a hard chance stick when Ervine was on 107 and the batsman finally fell for 123, edging Sidebottom to wicketkeeper, Jonny Bairstow. It was Sidebottom's 1000th wicket in all forms of professional first team cricket and Ervine left the field to a generous ovation.

At 391 for eight, Hampshire were still not prepared to throw wickets away and Ryan McLaren and Chris Wood not only held firm but also scored freely together. With one over remaining, McLaren went to his 50 off 77 balls with eight fours, the same shot also making sure the follow-on was avoided.

McLaren was 53 at the close and Wood 28 with Yorkshire far less sure of victory than they were at the start of the day.