Half centuries for Ben Curran, Charlie Thurston and Adam Rossington revived Northamptonshire on a crucial third day at Edgbaston.
After successfully navigating a tricky final 7 overs the night before, Gay fell early on the third morning, his outside edge well held by Bresnan at first slip. This brought Vasconcelos to the crease and along with Curran the pair quickly settled in.
Ben Curran showed clear positive intent throughout his innings, regularly finding the boundary and looking to use his feet against the Warwickshire pace attack. He struck 4 boundaries in his last 5 balls, passing 50 before a hard knock on the ankle had the opener in obvious discomfort. He fell shortly after, still clearly troubled by the blow as he made his way off.
After a nasty blow to the elbow in the first innings, Ricardo Vasconcelos looked untroubled on the way to 42, his dismissal prompted a mini collapse however, Northamptonshire falling to 148/5. Rob Keogh looked untroubled in his innings of 31, finding the boundary 5 times before edging to Yates at point with Saif Zaib feathering an edge behind two balls later.
This was where the tide began to turn however as Captain Adam Rossington and Charlie Thurston knuckled down and began to build a partnership. In just his third first-class match for the club, Thurston pounced on anything short and wide, wristily cracking the ball to the point boundary whenever Warwickshire’s bowlers erred.
Rossington was more watchful, reining in his usual aggressive streak as the pair batted Northamptonshire out of arrears. Thurston raised his maiden first-class half century for the club in 92 deliveries with the partnership passing 100 just a couple of overs later.
Rossington too passed 50 as the lead began to grow, the total moving beyond 300 with the partnership now a record for the sixth wicket against Warwickshire.
Warwickshire took the new ball immediately and Bresnan struck with it in his first over. Thurston trapped in front just 4 short of a maiden first-class century for the club, the partnership with Rossington finishing on 159.
Procter and Rossington took things through to the close, the lead approaching 100 and setting up an enticing final day’s play.
Northamptonshire 142 (Procter 29, Keogh 26) & 317/6 (Thurston 96*, Rossington 60*)
Warwickshire 369/8 (Buck 3/64, White 2/58)
Northamptonshire lead by 90 runs.