It was déjà vu at the Rose Bowl after another batting collapse from Yorkshire saw them lose the initiative in their LV=County Championship match with Hampshire.

Just as at Taunton in their last fixture, which they ended up losing, a wonderful overnight position was turned into an average first-innings total in the Southampton sunshine, to leave the division one encounter fascinatingly poised at the mid-way point.

“We did not bat well and I have told the lads that,” admitted captain Andrew Gale, who saw his side dismissed for 415, before Hampshire closed on 162-3.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the collapse was that it was eerily similar to the one that Yorkshire suffered last week against Somerset, when they slumped from 280-3 to 405 all out in their first innings.

Resuming on 302-3, with Gale on 38 and Anthony McGrath on 55, there was little evidence of the impending slump.

In fact, the most prominent thing on the Tykes’ mind was to try to reach 350 within the first 14 overs of play so as to secure a fourth batting bonus point.

That did not happen though and from the moment McGrath was caught by Nic Pothas off James Tomlinson for 64 to end a 112 run-partnership, the Hampshire attack had their tails up.

Gale followed soon after for 54 to give Pothas the second of four catches on day two, and five in the innings, before a lovely cameo from Adil Rashid looked to have started a fight-back from the Tykes.

It helped them to reach lunch on 393-6, but when Rich Pyrah was out in the first over of the afternoon session and then Rashid was ousted for 51 shortly after, the rest crumbled.

It meant that Yorkshire had lost their last seven wickets for just 88 runs and after resuming with hopes of reaching at least 550, they had to settle for just over 400.

What followed with the ball from Yorkshire provided further evidence that this is a pitch which offers any batting side plenty of help, as a beautifully orchestrated 82 from Jimmy Adams continued Hampshire’s revival in this contest.

His impressive knock was not surprising given he had scored 500 Championship runs before this match, but it was pivotally important after the impressive Rashid had removed Michael Carberry and Michael Lumb early on to leave the hosts at 49-2.

By the time Adams was ousted by Oliver Hannon-Dalby to give Yorkshire a fourth bonus point, the score had moved past 140.

It means Hampshire will fancy their chances of getting close to Yorkshire’s first-innings total today.

They trail by 253 runs, with Neil McKenzie unbeaten on 48 and James Vince on eight.