GARY Ballance became the first Yorkshire captain to post two hundreds in a first-class match today as he led the county to safety against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.

Ballance wrote his name into the record books with 108 in the first innings and 203 not out in the second, batting through the whole of day four to secure an eight-point draw.

He has now scored 508 Specsavers County Championship runs this season, with no one else in either division yet to pass the 400-mark.

And the statistics don’t end there.

The left-hander became only the second Yorkshire batsman to post a hundred and a double in the same match following Younus Khan against Hampshire at Scarborough in 2007.

He has also scored 10 hundreds in 13 matches as a first-class captain, with his average in that run standing at 87.68.

Incredibly, he batted for 12 hours and 52 minutes across both innings and spent only 12.3 overs of this four-day clash off the field.

No wonder he was “mentally knackered” last night as he spoke about how this draw felt more like a win given Yorkshire had been asked to follow-on 224 runs behind at lunch on day three.

"That's what it feels like,” said the 27-year-old. “When you work so hard, it does feel that much more sweeter to save the game.

“We fought so hard over the last few days, and to get the draw is good.

“On a personal note, it's obviously nice getting my highest score for Yorkshire. I'm buzzing about that. It’s right up there (in my career highlights).

"Credit to Hampshire, they played some good cricket. They batted well and put us under pressure with the ball in the first innings. We had to fight back, and it's a good feeling.”

Yorkshire began day four on 178-3, still 46 runs in arrears, before ending the day on 399-6, leading by 175.

But there were moments of concern for a star-studded White Rose side.

They lost Test duo Peter Handscomb for 40 and Jonny Bairstow in the morning to slip to 262-5 in the 81st over as Hampshire enjoyed immediate success with the second new ball.

Handscomb was caught and bowled off a leading edge by left-arm spinner Liam Dawson and Bairstow was caught at third slip for one off Kyle Abbott.

In six innings for Joe Root, Handscomb and Bairstow in this match, they only managed 59 runs combined.

Thankfully, Ballance was aided by sixth-wicket partner Tim Bresnan, who recovered from taking a nasty blow on the right thumb to score a determined 37 before falling after tea with the game pretty much safe.

Partnerships of 88 and 94 between Ballance and Handscomb and Ballance and Bresnan were contrasting. The first was positive and the second gritty.

Hampshire will rue dropping three catches either side of lunch.

Jimmy Adams dropped Australian Handscomb at point on 33 off Sean Ervine’s medium pace, although he only ended up making 40.

Bresnan was dropped on 10 and 14 in the slips by James Vince and Adams off Abbott and Reece Topley.

By the time Bresnan edged left-arm seamer Topley behind shortly after tea, Yorkshire were all but safe at 356-6, a lead of 132 with almost 35 overs left.

Ballance reached 200 immediately before the players shook hands at 4.50pm.