Collapse for Bears as Notts close in on the title

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE are within 300 runs of securing the Rothesay County Championship crown after bowling out Warwickshire for 258 on day one at Trent Bridge.

- By JON CULLEY

Needing to secure a maximum of 10 points from the final round of matches to lift the title for the first time since 2010 after their victory over holders Surrey last week, Notts fulfilled their first requirement by taking all three bowling bonus points, led by Brett Hutton’s four for 46 and Mohammad Abbas's three for 33.

And Surrey’s failure to take any of the five batting bonus points potentially up for grabs in their match against Hampshire at Southampton, means they require just two more in this match to be certain of becoming champions.

Put simply, if they can muster anything above 300 with the bat within 110 overs in their first innings, the title will be theirs even were they to lose this match and Surrey win theirs.

They might have been on the field in pursuit of those runs already if Dan Mousley had not defied difficult batting conditions by scoring 74 after driving Warwickshire recovery from 127 for five.

Mousley shared a 117-run sixth-wicket partnership with Ed Barnard, who exactly matched Will Young earlier in making 48 from 104 deliveries Warwickshire, who began the day in fourth place, are keen at least to overtake Somerset and finish third.