Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale has admitted critics are right to question his place in the side after a continuation of his poor run of form, but he is keen to put it right.

The left-hander’s disappointing campaign with the bat continued despite a win over Warwickshire inside three days at Headingley, with Gale now having passed 50 just once in 18 innings this season.

But the 32-year-old has vowed to do all he can to regain his fluency at the crease as he goes in search of a third successive Championship title and admits not having limited overs cricket to fall back on may have had an impact.

“It’s been tough,” he said. “I’ve been struggling for form all year and I’ve been scratching my head. I had the best pre-season I’ve ever had, but I’m short of confidence and short of runs at the moment.

“If there was a second team lad who was stacking them up and really putting pressure on then there would be a case to leave myself out.

“It’s not through lack of work ethic. I’m trying to play second team games where I can, and I’m going to play again this week. I thought I was getting back into some rhythm at Surrey but in this game they haven’t been there again.

“It wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on but I usually play well on these sorts of decks so it’s a bit of a worry. All I can do is keep working hard and hope it turns.

“Ultimately I want to be putting in a contribution to the team rather than just my captaincy. I want to be speaking for myself with runs.

“I haven’t played for two and a half weeks. It’s quite new to me and a bit of a shock to the system that I haven’t been involved in any one-day cricket but it is what it is.”

Gale led his side to a thrilling 48-run win.

After Alex Lees’s 70 had set the visitors a target of 229, Ryan Sidebottom and Jack Brooks combined to reduce the visitors to 14-3 with the new ball.

But a 91-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Jonathan Trott and Tim Ambrose was a worry, only for a brilliant Jack Leaning catch to wrestle the initiative back.

Leaning dived full-stretch to his right-hand side at third slip to catch an outside edge from Ambrose (36) inches above the ground off Sidebottom, and after Brooks dismissed Trott (59) seven balls later the home side never looked back. Adil Rashid mopped up the tail with 4-29.

The victory leaves Yorkshire third in the Division One table, though they have a game in hand on both leaders Middlesex and second-placed Somerset.