Yorkshire endured a tough day at the office at Old Trafford, and it now looks like their LV= County Championship match against Lancashire is heading for a draw with only one day left.

Red Rose pair Kyle Hogg and Luke Sutton (47 not out) shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 121 in 52 overs to ensure they avoided the follow-on.

Left-handed all- rounder Hogg recorded a career-best 88 off 140 balls to boost his side to 358 all out after the hosts had started the day in trouble at 187-6 in response to Yorkshire’s 447.

It meant that, despite five wickets for Adil Rashid and four for Azeem Rafiq, Yorkshire had to settle for a first innings lead of only 89 when 150-plus was looking more likely.

The White Rose, who only started their second innings nine overs before tea on day three, then failed to get any momentum with the willow in the final session of the day.

Anthony McGrath finished the day 50 not out off 99 balls, but Yorkshire were restricted to 111-3 from 41 overs. They lead by 200 going into today’s final day.

“It was a little bit anti-climactic with them being six down at the start of the day,” said stand-in skipper Jacques Rudolph. “It was a good chance for us to capitalise on the way our spinners bowled. But we are now going to have to set something up if we want a positive result.”

Rudolph will no doubt err on the side of caution today with any declaration.

Referring to the defeat at Somerset earlier this season, he added with a smile on his face: “In the past when I’ve been captain and forced to make a declaration, I’ve been proved wrong.”

Adam Lyth fell 18 runs short of 1,000 Championship runs for the season when he pulled Hogg down the throat of Stephen Moore at deep square leg for 29 to leave the score at 56-2 in the 19th.

He had earlier seen Rudolph edge Daren Powell behind to Sutton before the final break of the day.

McGrath confirmed his second half-century of the match five minutes before close, but not before left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan had Jonny Bairstow caught at backward point by Tom Smith.

Tino Best had got Yorkshire’s day off to a positive start when he had Smith caught and bowled.

Rafiq also got Glen Chapple caught at deep mid-off, but Hogg and Sutton united.

Rashid later polished off Lancashire’s last two wickets within the space of four balls in the 122nd over of the innings, having Hogg caught by Rich Pyrah at cover and Powell caught at short leg by Lyth.