County Championship: Sam Hain leads Warwickshire's response against Northants

Sam Hain led a strong Warwickshire response to Northamptonshire's 597-6 as batters continued to make hay on the third day of their County Championship match.

Warwickshire began the day under pressure, on 88-2 needing 448 to avoid the follow-on, but responded with the requisite resilience as Hain reached 140 not out and Will Rhodes added 99 in a 201-run fourth-wicket stand to take them to 394-4.

Hain, whose career-best 208 arrived against Northamptonshire in 2014, played barely a false shot in seven hours at the crease and his reassuring presence helped Rhodes relocate some form and fluency. The captain's six previous innings this season had yielded just 73 runs.

As an excellent batting track refused to deteriorate, all the bowlers could do was persevere in the sunshine. They did so commendably, led by Jack White who kept going manfully for 26-6-84-2 - very worthy figures in these conditions.

Only one wicket fell in the first two sessions when, midway through the morning, Dom Sibley - having taken his overnight 37 to 52 from 170 balls, edged a fine ball from Luke Procter behind.

Rhodes looked a little uncertain early on and was reprieved on 22 when he chipped Rob Keogh to mid-on but Simon Kerrigan was on his heels and the ball fell just in front of him.

The Warwickshire skipper gained fluency from that point - the straight-driven four off Matt Kelly which took him to 50 was exquisite.

Hain, meanwhile, was at his implacable best. He went to the crease armed with a first-class average of 76 against Northamptonshire, had ensured its improvement by mid-afternoon and reached his 12th first-class century just before tea from 239 balls.

Rhodes was a single away from his ton when the impressive White, plugging away on a hot afternoon, induced an edge and Lewis McManus took another catch. The captain was afforded the warmest of ovations back to the pavilion.

At 314-4, the Bears still had work to do to reach the follow-on figure and officially consign the match to stalemate but Hain and Matt Lamb ensured there was no late collapse with an unbroken stand of 80 in the last 24 overs of the day.

Hain's concentration remained absolute while Lamb continued his sparkling form this season with a perky unbeaten 47 from 77 balls.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.