EXPERIENCED opener Jimmy Adams hit a patient unbeaten century on day two at the Ageas Bowl as Hampshire responded strongly to Yorkshire’s first-innings 350.

The left-hander posted his first hundred in this season’s Specsavers County Championship to help Hampshire recover from 9-1 and 68-3 and reach close at 245-3 from 85 overs.

This was Adams’ third century in 19 career Championship appearances against Yorkshire, an unbeaten 132 off 257 balls.

He was well supported by fellow left-hander Tom Alsop, the Hampshire wicketkeeper, with the fourth-wicket pair frustrating the visitors on a sluggish pitch by sharing 177 unbroken. Alsop will begin day three on 62 not out.

This was an attritional day of Division One cricket, played with the pink ball and under lights for the final session in front of another sparse crowd.

Yorkshire started the day by advancing from 315-7, with Steve Patterson (37) and Ben Coad sharing 31 for the last wicket to secure a fourth batting point for reaching 350.

At that stage, Yorkshire looked in decent shape, a view enhanced when Jack Brooks struck twice with the ball either side of lunch as the hosts slipped to three down, losing James Vince and Sam Northeast.

Those two fell in the first nine balls of the afternoon. Vince was bowled through the gate by Brooks for 39 before Northeast lost his middle stump to typically miserly Patterson for four. Earlier, Brooks made the initial breakthrough when he trapped Joe Weatherley lbw.

Immediately after the departures of Vince and Northeast, Yorkshire tied Adams and Alsop down by bowling tight lines on a pitch which has offered no pace.

But, when width was offered, Adams, batting with a new front on stance at the crease this season, in particular was able to cash in.

He hit 17 fours in reaching three figures off 182 balls midway through the evening session. Shortly afterwards, Alsop brought up his fifty off 151.

On day one, batting was at its trickiest after tea, with the lights taking effect combined with overcast skies. On day two, however, the longest day of the year meant the sun shone through the vast majority of the evening to boost Hampshire’s cause.

Yorkshire have to make inroads during the opening session of day three. If they don’t, Hampshire will press on for a big lead and put the visitors’ batsmen under pressure later in the game as they search for their second win in their seventh match of the campaign.

Between them, part-time off-spinners Adam Lyth and Jack Leaning bowled 21 tidy overs between them without success. Unfortunately for Leaning, he was the victim as Alsop offered a difficult caught behind chance to Jonny Tattersall on 43 after tea.

Patterson was the pick of the White Rose bowling. The new captain claimed figures of 1-22 from 18 overs.

Yorkshire took the new ball with five overs left in the day.

The day started with the White Rose quickly slipping to 319-9.

Tim Bresnan lost his off and middle stumps to the pacy Fidel Edwards for 35 before Brooks edged Dale Steyn to second slip to complete his first five-wicket haul since August 2016 when he was playing Test cricket for South Africa. He returns to that arena in Sri Lanka next month after injury.

But Patterson and Coad frustrated the hosts, with the former twice cutting Steyn for four in one over.