Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale promised his side would play attacking cricket when he took over as skipper at the start of last season.

There was not much evidence of that from the Tykes on day three of their LV= County Championship against Worcestershire – but it is unlikely too many people will be complaining.

That is after the county closed in on victory in their vital division one relegation battle at Scarborough.

Set 134 to win, they will resume on today’s final day at 80-3.

“In an ideal world we would have been more ruthless and beaten them in three days,” admitted Gale, whose side need only 54 more runs for victory.

“That is the nature of first division cricket though.

“Worcestershire did not lie down and we will have to still be at our best to win this match.

“It was never in our mind to win the game quickly, it was more important to set up a platform for ourselves.

“We are still in the box seat and I would have taken this position on Monday morning.”

There are few who can argue with that, and if Yorkshire were not to win from this position then serious questions would have to be asked.

For much of the day a victory inside three days seemed certain.

However, some powerful hitting by the Worcestershire lower order set the Tykes a higher victory total than had looked likely.

When the Pears’ seventh wicket went down they had been reduced to 171-7, still 18 runs away from even making Yorkshire bat again.

Gareth Andrew started the fight back.

He had added 57 runs to the total by the time Rich Pyrah removed him during the afternoon session, but with the 27-year-old giving his side some momentum, the theme of the day had been changed.

Some chaotic fielding helped them, including three dropped catches, as a further 116 runs were then added from Worcestershire’s last two pairings.

Saeed Ajmal and Jack Shantry both made 47, with Alan Richardson closing on an unbeaten 31.

It meant a victory target of 134 was set, before Yorkshire rather stumbled to the close to revive memories of their defeat to Nottinghamshire earlier this season when they failed to chase down 145.

They lost early wickets to slump to 58-3, as Adam Lyth (10), Anthony McGrath (6) and Gale (17) fell cheaply, before the ship was finally steadied by Joe Root and York’s Jonny Bairstow.

The duo will head into the final day on 31 and 12 respectively, with Yorkshire still very much on course to wrap up a much needed victory.