YORKSHIRE tightened their grip on the Specsavers County Championship match against Warwickshire at Headingley today by moving to a first-innings lead of 45 with two wickets in hand during the second afternoon.

The hosts, replying to 219, advanced from 153-4 to reach tea on 265-8 from 87 overs.

They slipped to 179-6 during the early stages of the afternoon with the loss of Gary Ballance and Andrew Hodd, both caught behind off Jeetan Patel and Chris Wright.

But Tim Bresnan shared in two useful partnerships, adding 49 for the seventh wicket with Jack Leaning (36) and 36 with Matt Fisher, on the way to 47.

Leaning was caught in the gully off Matt Lamb’s medium pacers with 228 on the board in the 77th over before Bresnan united with Fisher.

Unfortunately, he was bowled sweeping at Patel in the penultimate over of the session as the score fell to 264-8 in the 86th.

Fisher will begin the evening on 16 and Jack Brooks nought.