When Andrew Gale took over as Yorkshire captain this season he promised attacking cricket, but there was little evidence of that as the Tykes’ LV= County Championship clash with Hampshire turned into a tedious draw.

Morning rain was the biggest reason for such a frustrating end, but so was the manner of last week’s loss at Somerset, when a target was set before Yorkshire were comfortably beaten to end their unbeaten start to 2010.

This time there was never any likelihood of a run-chase being offered and, in the end, both teams finished with nine points apiece.

“It was a disappointing end,” admitted Gale, who shook hands with counterpart Nic Pothas at 5pm to finish a drab day’s play.

“I have said all along that we will always try and set-up a game if we can, but there was no chance of doing that which is frustrating.

“The plan was to declare and give ourselves 55 to 60 overs to bowl them out but in the end any declaration would have been in their favour.”

The tedious end in Southampton was very different to the optimism of Wednesday night when, after a sterling performance all-round from the Tykes, there was hope of a dramatic victory.

That evaporated with the weather though and by the time play started after a delay of an hour, it was more interesting watching the rapid building work at the Rose Bowl than the action on the pitch.

It made sure there were only 80 overs left in the game, too few to declare and then bowl Hampshire out for a victory, and from the moment Anthony McGrath blocked out the first over for a maiden, the theme of the final day had been set.

By lunch only 28 runs had been added to increase Yorkshire’s second-innings lead to 244 and, with the contest effectively over, the only issue left in the match was to see if Adam Lyth could secure his first back-to-back first-class centuries. However, the 22-year-old fell short after being brilliantly caught at first slip by Neil McKenzie off David Balcombe on 98.

His dismissal made the rest of the action even more academic and when Yorkshire declared with a lead of 356 just after tea, there was ironic applause from the sparse crowd.

The Tykes then hurriedly bowled four spinners to catch up with a poor over rate from the first innings to avoid being docked points.

It was certainly a frustrating end to what had been an encapsulating first three days of cricket, but the draw put the Tykes back on top of the division one table.