YORKSHIRE'S bowlers continued to toil but could claim only one more wicket in the afternoon session of their Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Middlesex at Scarborough.

The visitors batted diligently against the new ball and were 318-4 at tea, with Stevie Eskinazi on 112 not out and James Franklin unbeaten on 29, the pair having so far added 62 for Middlesex’s fifth wicket.

The one success enjoyed by Andrew Gale’s bowlers came in the eighth over of the afternoon when John Simpson was caught by Tim Bresnan at third slip for 15 when attempting to drive Jack Brooks.

However, that wicket was quickly followed by a setback when third slip Kane Williamson dropped Eskinazi on 84 off Bresnan, and the Middlesex batsman later collected his second first-class century in four innings.

Middlesex are currently 88 runs behind Yorkshire’s first-innings total of 406.