YORKSHIRE have lost Test stars Peter Handscomb and Jonny Bairstow to undermine their bid to save the Specsavers County Championship match against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.

But captain Gary Ballance is standing firm.

Yorkshire, having been made to follow-on 224 runs behind, have reached lunch on day four at 276-5 from 89 overs, a lead of 52.

They started the day on 178-3, with Ballance going on to post his second hundred of the match. He will begin the afternoon on 125 not out.

He shared 88 for the fourth wicket with Australian Handscomb, who made 40, having been dropped on 33.

Handscomb was the first to fall when he was caught and bowled off spinner Liam Dawson following a leading edge as Yorkshire fell to 258-4 in the 79th.

Then in the 81st, the first ball with the second new ball, Bairstow (one) edged Kyle Abbott to third slip - 262-5 with a lead of 38.

Ballance had reached his century off 210 balls with 13 fours before the wickets began to fall.

Tim Bresnan took a nasty blow on the right thumb from a rising Abbott delivery shortly before lunch, but he will begin the afternoon on six.