Luxton, Bairstow, Hill cement Yorkshire ascendency

Warwickshire 263 (Barnard 83*, Hasan 3-50, White 3-57). 44 for 1 need a further 409 to beat Yorkshire 469 and 246 for 6 dec (Luxton 69, Hill 65*, Bairstow 62)

Yorkshire set Warwickshire an unlikely victory target of 453 during the latter stages of an entertaining third day at Scarborough as they push for a Rothesay County Championship victory.

Warwickshire started the day on 225 for 7 in their first-innings reply to 469. with captain Ed Barnard impressing for a composed unbeaten 83. New-ball pair Hasan Ali and Jack White finished with three wickets apiece.

Jonny Bairstow opted against enforcing the follow-on with a lead of 206 late in the morning before following Will Luxton. sixth-wicket partner George Hill to half-centuries.

Bairstow's 62 represented his second fifty in the match, while Luxton contributed 69. Hill 65 not out in 246 for 6 declared, leaving the Bears with 15 overs to bat before close. They reached 44 for one.

Opener Luxton. who amassed 167 in the first innings, was on course to become the first Yorkshire batter to post two hundreds in the Championship match on this ground, albeit others have done it in first-class matches here. But Sussex's Michael Yardy, back in 2011, remains the only one to have done it in a Championship match.

Yorkshire claimed the last three first-innings wickets in just over an hour this morning, with Pakistan overseas Hasan striking twice. Hill once. Hasan bowled Keith Barker for 21 and trapped Ethan Bamber lbw before Hill bowled Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

Barnard, meanwhile, advanced from 60 not out overnight. hoisted White for an eye-catching straight six - his second of the innings.

Bamber bowled Adam Lyth, shouldering arms, as Yorkshire reached 27 for 1 at lunch. And there were signs, chiefly through uneven bounce and turn, that the pitch was getting trickier for batting.

During the opening hour of the afternoon, Yorkshire slipped to 79 for 4, a lead of 285, as Manav Suthar removed Sam Whiteman. Hannon-Dalby's seam ousted James Wharton lbw and Matthew Revis played on.

Amidst those departures, Luxton reached his 76-ball fifty. not long afterwards hoisted Hannon-Dalby over deep midwicket to take the lead beyond 300. But he fell caught at short-leg off Beau Webster's offspin - 115 for 5 - to miss out on a bit of White Rose history.

Bairstow. Hill united either side of tea, where the hosts reached 154 for 5 with a lead of 360, and dampened Warwickshire's hopes of a fightback.

Bairstow was initially watchful and Hill more busy. When Hill slog-swept Webster over deep midwicket for six. then reverse swept him for four a couple of balls later to join Bairstow on 41, Yorkshire were 185 for 5 during the first half of the evening with a lead of 391.

Hill was first to his fifty off 69 balls. though Bairstow got there shortly afterwards off the same number of balls. He had contributed 68 in the first innings.

Hill and Bairstow shared 119 for the sixth wicket before the latter miscued a catch behind off Bamber. The declaration came nine balls later.

Rob Yates and Alex Davies then played confidently in sharing 38. But their alliance was broken when Yates edged Hill low down to first slip for 20 in the 13th over.

Davies will begin day four unbeaten on 19 with nightwatcher Bamber for company.