Ben Brown and Kyle Abbott star as Hampshire take control

Captain Ben Brown’s brilliant unbeaten 103 helped Hampshire set Yorkshire 426 to win shortly after tea on day three of the Rothesay County Championship fixture at Headingley, before Kyle Abbott starred with the ball late in the day.

Hampshire have dominated here following last weekend’s innings defeat at home by Essex and would be deserved victors.

Wicketkeeper-batter Brown accelerated after lunch alongside Jake Lehmann - they shared an entertaining 172 for the fifth wicket - to fashion an early-evening declaration at 351 for five. Lehmann’s 92 came off 130 balls, while Brown hit four leg-side sixes in 109.

South African Abbott, who struck four times in the first innings, matched that haul after tea as Yorkshire slumped and closed on 65 for five from 29 overs.

Former Sussex man Brown has now scored four of his 28 career first-class centuries against Yorkshire, who this morning had to utilise the injury substitution rule for the second time in less than 24 hours following illness to seamer Jack White.

He has picked up the same bug as Australian Test quick Jhye Richardson, who was earlier replaced by Dutchman Logan van Beek.

Ben Cliff came in at the start of play, and van Beek was Yorkshire’s standout bowler with four for 85 from 20 overs.

Only 9.1 overs were bowled during a rainy morning.

Tom Prest advanced from 31 overnight to 53 before being run out backing up just after lunch, the deflection coming from bowler van Beek following Lehmann’s firm drive.

At that stage, Hampshire were 142 for four, leading by 216. That was when Lehmann and Brown united.

Van Beek bowled beautifully late on day two and at the start of day three, and he had a hand in all five Hampshire wickets.

But his figures were later spoilt as Yorkshire became increasingly ragged.

He struck twice late on day one, getting openers Joe Weatherley and Nick Gubbins, before removing night-watchman Sonny Baker this morning - caught off a leading edge by a diving Dom Bess as he hared in towards silly mid-on.

Yorkshire have now utilised the ECB’s new injury, illness or significant life events substitution rule on three occasions in two matches.

Captain Jonny Bairstow fractured his right thumb whilst wicketkeeping late on day one of last weekend’s draw at Glamorgan.

After steady progress, Lehmann and Brown pressed on with gusto. When Yorkshire captain Bess introduced himself into the attack, his opposite number Brown deposited the off-spinner’s first ball over wide long-on for six. By then - mid-afternoon - it was 172 for four with a lead of 247.

Lehmann was 21 when Brown came in, but the latter reached his fifty first, off 67 balls. Over the slips to third-man was a productive area early on.

When left-handed Lehmann, who made a first-innings 76, got to the same milestone an over later off 89 balls, Hampshire were 232 for four and 306 ahead almost 35 minutes before tea.

Upon the resumption - at 267 for four - Brown and Lehmann, who hammered a six over midwicket, took 20 runs off van Beek in the first over back.

And there was further damage, despite him denying Lehmann a century as he holed out to deep backward square-leg eight runs short.

Brown hit three more sixes, including one slog-swept off Bess over deep backward square-leg to reach his 108-ball century. He declared having faced one more ball.

Abbott then showed all his class again.

What would be Yorkshire’s highest ever successful first-class run chase looked miles away when Adam Lyth edged to second slip in the first over and Sam Whiteman was bowled shouldering arms in the fifth, leaving the score at four for two.

James Wharton was later was trapped lbw by Eddie Jack’s pace with the score on 51 before the brilliant Abbott - four for 11 from nine overs - strengthened Hampshire’s grip with two wickets in the 27th, Matthew Revis bowled and nightwatchman Cliff lbw to reduce Yorkshire to 62 for five.

Yorkshire all-rounder Logan van Beek said: “I think that second innings, upon reflection, we just never had it from both ends with the ball. One guy was holding an end and the other end was kind of leaking a bit. That’s hard as a bowling group.

“It was disappointing because there was a point when they were 160 ahead for the loss of three wickets and we thought, ‘We can maybe keep them under 250-260 if we bowl well here’. That would have been a chase.

“But they played well, and it was a frustrating day. The weather kind of summed up our frustrations.

“Kyle Abbott is the consummate pro. It’s just his ability to hit full-of-length, hit the stumps constantly, nip it both ways and keep coming as well. It's relentless, and just shows what a classy bowler he is.

“It was nice to get a bit of reward with the ball. I’m probably going to be needed for a bit more with the bat than last week’s spell at Glamorgan, where it was about 15 minutes at the end. But there's no reason why Fin Bean and George Hill can’t put on a big partnership and take a lot of time out of the game.”

Hampshire captain, and centurion, Ben Brown said: “We had half an eye on the weather (this morning). There are some bad forecasts, so we were really keen to drive the game forward and try and win the game. We definitely had a positive mindset.

“We came out to try to score as quick as we could. If it did rain, we’d still have that sort of option to declare. In the end, the weather held, which has been really fortunate.

“We thought we might have to pull out maybe at 320-350 if the forecast came right. But, luckily, the weather cleared. We ended up getting what felt like some bonus runs.

“It was really enjoyable to bat with Jake (Lehmann). Tom Prest laid the foundations. A shout to him and Nick Gubbins, they played really well to set it up. It was nice to have a bit of a license at the back end there after tea. It’s always good fun.

“I think all four of them bowled brilliantly as a unit. Kyle, he’s a nightmare to face. And Codi Yusuf, the way Eddie Jack ran in there, Sonny Baker’s been brilliant all season as well.”