Notts clash hangs in the balance

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Adam Vogues hit a crisp 48 for Notts, but their lower order will need to perform if they are to get beyond Durham's total

Title-chasing Nottinghamshire were facing the prospect of conceding a first-innings deficit in their LV= County Championship clash with Durham following a closely-fought second day at the Emirates Durham ICG.

Notts started the day well as they removed the hosts’ final four wickets for the addition of 10 runs to bowl Durham out for 372.

In reply, half-centuries from skipper Chris Read and Ali Brown, plus 48 from Australian Adam Voges, helped Nottinghamshire to 257 for six by the close.

That meant they took three points from the day’s play - one for bowling and two for batting - as they continue to edge cautiously towards the title.

Nottinghamshire now boast a lead of 21 points over second-placed Somerset, but will still be hoping to avoid defeat with two tough matches to finish the campaign against Yorkshire and Lancashire.

With that in mind, the visitors will be desperate for their tail to add some valuable runs tomorrow morning with their deficit still 115 runs with four wickets in hand.

Durham’s hopes of running through them could rest on whether Mark Davies will return to the attack after he failed to bowl in the evening session.

In his fifth championship appearance either side of a three-month break, following a second ankle operation, Davies took an impressive 2-10 from 15 overs.

Earlier, Durham lost their remaining four wickets quickly, with Scott Borthwick last out for a career-best 68 when he pulled to deep midwicket, giving Andre Adams his fifth wicket in the process.

Borthwick clipped the first ball of the day, from Ryan Sidebottom, behind square-leg for four to earn Durham’s fourth batting point.

For the maximum of five, they still had 13 overs to score the extra 50 runs, but Phil Mustard looked in too much of a hurry when he edged Sidebottom to Read on 120.

Liam Plunkett nicked the next ball to the wicketkeeper and Read held his third catch in two overs when Mitch Claydon edged a drive at Adams.

Nottinghamshire’s struggles to find a settled opening pair saw them promote Samit Patel but, after turning Claydon to fine-leg for four, he shaped to play through midwicket and got a leading edge to mid-off.

In the continued absence of Steve Harmison, Davies shared the new ball and struck in his sixth over.

He had already beaten the bat several times when Alex Hales pushed forward and edged to wicketkeeper Mustard, before Plunkett settled down after a wayward start and skidded one through to bowl Wagh for 30.

At 71 for three, Nottinghamshire needed a partnership and that is exactly what Brown and Voges delivered, putting on 75 before Davies pinned the latter lbw.

Brown fell for 52 when he drove leg-spinner Borthwick to mid-off and, two overs from the close, Read departed for 56 when he tried to pull Plunkett and gloved a leg-side catch to Mustard.

Sidebottom went in as nightwatchman, but will be replaced at the crease by Darren Pattinson as the left-armer had to depart to join up with the England Twenty20 squad.