GARY Ballance completed a superb 148 during another profitable session for Yorkshire against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl this morning.

Yorkshire’s grip on their Specsavers County Championship match was strengthened during the second morning as they advanced from 310-3 overnight to 413-5 from 127 overs.

Ballance and nightwatchman Steve Patterson, who added an important 34 to blunt the home attack, were the wickets to fall before lunch, both to medium pacer Gareth Berg.

Ballance, who faced 308 balls, was caught behind and Patterson caught at point after the fourth-wicket pair had put on 80, a partnership which started last night.

When Patterson fell, Yorkshire were 374-5 in the 113th over.

Yorkshire finished with four batting bonus points to Hampshire’s one bowling point.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Jack Leaning have since taken the score beyond 400 and will begin the afternoon on 24 and 17 respectively.

Ballance, meanwhile, has now scored 1,007 runs in eight first-class matches for his county and England at this venue.

In his last three Championship matches, dating back to the final game of 2018 at Worcester, he has scored 510 runs, including scores of 194, 60, 101 not out and 148.