YORKSHIRE are heading towards a fourth straight Specsavers County Championship defeat at Lord’s after more batting issues surfaced on day two against Middlesex.

Andrew Gale’s call for top order improvement came immediately after last week’s narrow win over Somerset.

But he will have been frustrated yet again after seeing his side slip to 146-8 in reply to 446 before closing on 186-9 from 58 overs

Debutant Harry Brook’s 38 will have encouraged the coach, while captain Gary Ballance continued his recent good form with 53 not out, reaching 50 off 101 balls just before close.

Unfortunately, there was nothing else to shout about during the afternoon and evening sessions.

Yorkshire lost seven wickets after tea, including Adil Rashid, Andrew Hodd and Jack Brooks for ducks on a pitch showing signs of uneven bounce.

Former Burley-in-Wharfedale batsman Brook, 18, looked in little trouble during the afternoon having come in at three.

He hit six fours in 70 balls, an innings ended at the start of the second over after tea when he turned off-spinner Ollie Rayner straight to short-leg.

He was the first of the evening wickets to fall.

Brook has scored three hundreds in his last four second-team innings, including a 112 in the one-day final success against Middlesex at Headingley just under a fortnight ago.

He on-drove Toby Roland-Jones for three to get off the mark before taking three of his six boundaries off England quick Steven Finn, including one almost arrow straight towards the Pavilion.

When Brook fell, it left Yorkshire at 88-3 in the 28th over.

Alex Lees had been the first wicket to go when trapped lbw by Roland Jones for four with 18 on the board in the eighth over.

Brook and Adam Lyth (37) shared 64 inside 18 overs for the second wicket before the left-hander was caught behind off the medium pace of Ryan Higgins, leaving the score at 82-2 in the 25th.

In fairness to Yorkshire, Lees departed when it looked for all money as if his delivery pitched outside leg, while Lyth indicated there was no bat involved in his dismissal.

Peter Handscomb fell edging Roland-Jones to first slip for 15 after attempting a cover drive - 119-4 in the 37th over.

It was the first of five wickets to fall for 27.

Rashid inside-edged a short ball from Finn onto his stumps in the next before Hodd played on pulling at Tim Murtagh, also without scoring, in the 41st as Yorkshire fell to 135-6.

Steve Patterson and Brooks were then both bowled in successive Higgins overs, leaving the visitors 146-8.

Brooks’ dismissal was the most obvious sign of uneven bounce in the pitch as it shot through at ankle height.

Ben Coad fell just before close having added 32 for the ninth wicket with Ballance, caught behind off Finn - 178-9.

Yorkshire had made a positive start to day two with the ball.

Middlesex resumed on 337-4 and were bowled out shortly after lunch.

Coad, Ryan Sidebottom and Rashid all struck twice apiece, with four wickets falling during the morning.

The first of those wickets was opener Sam Robson for 159, caught behind off Coad, who also bowled debutant Higgins.

Sidebottom forced John Simpson to chop on for 49 and had Rayner caught at mid-on. Rashid wrapped up the innings by getting Roland-Jones caught at cover and Finn lbw.