YORKSHIRE took ten wickets in the day against Worcestershire at Scarborough but will need the weather gods to shine on them if they are to complete a fifth straight County Championship victory.

The Pears closed day three 71 runs ahead on 221-6 having been forced to follow on in their second innings – but showers are forecast on the North Yorkshire coast with the Tykes looking to wrap up a win.

Despite that, Jonny Bairstow believes the home side will be able to stretch their lead at the top of the table with success on the final day as he celebrated his own call-up to the England Test squad.

Bairstow said: "Obviously I'm really pleased to get the call-up. But we've still got to finish this game first and it's important we don't take anything for granted. It's a massively important game in the context of the season.

"Taking ten wickets in a day is a massive push from the quicks and hopefully the win will come. We're prepared to chase anything down in any amount of overs."

Having begun the day still 86 runs short of the follow-on target with four wickets in hand, Worcestershire began brightly before Ryan Sidebottom angled one across Joe Clarke (88) and Alex Lees took a comfortable catch at first slip.

Adil Rashid then trapped Joe Leach lbw for 27 before Jack Shantry popped a catch up to Lees at silly-point off the same bowler, leaving final pair Saeed Ajmal and Charlie Morris needing 39 to make Yorkshire bat again.

Morris was given a life when Andrew Gale put down a difficult chance at short-leg – and he was almost made to pay as Ajmal hit seven fours to bring the Pears to within one run of their 281 target.

Tim Bresnan, however, was able to force one through the defences of Ajmal with just his third ball of the morning as the Pakistan international departed for 37, with the visitors all out for 280.

Gale wasted no time in enforcing the follow-on and he got an early reward as Bresnan trapped Richard Oliver lbw for 14 in the final over before lunch.

Wickets proved harder to come by after the interval and it was not until Jack Brooks was introduced to the attack that the home side began to reassert some control.

Tom Fell – who was dropped on nought by Lees – top-edged a hook off Brooks to be caught behind by Bairstow for 23, before opener Daryl Mitchell (25) edged the England Lions seamer through to Lees at first slip.

Clarke was unable to repeat his first-innings heroics as he was bowled by a sharp Rashid leg-break for 21. But Brett D'Oliveira and Ross Whiteley came together and added 100 for the fifth wicket to further frustrate Gale and his side.

Their partnership was ended when D'Oliveira picked out Brooks at square-leg off the bowling of Plunkett for 37 – and the England paceman then got rid of Ben Cox in his next over as he fended a short ball to Jack Leaning at second slip.

Leach joined Whiteley to help see the visitors through to the close, with the latter unbeaten on 65 – his best Championship score for over three years.