Hosts pegged back by Essex in final session at Trent Bridge

WITH Essex surrendering their five remaining wickets for 66 runs in the day's opening 90 minutes to claim a bare 20-run first-innings lead, Nottinghamshire threatened to take hold of their Rothesay County Championship Division One match at Trent Bridge.

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But after Ben Slater, who made 67, and skipper Haseeb Hameed had posted a rapid 113 for the first wicket the home side were pegged back in the final session as Hameed fell 25 minutes from the close for 92 and Kyle Verreyyne then came and went for three.

Hameed's side carry an advantage into today's play of 213 with five men gone but it is hard to see how a declaration can come before lunch is reached, even assuming they get there intact. This intriguing game, however, has repeatedly refused to follow either of these side’s very best laid plans.

Having weathered seven probing overs from Jamie Porter and Sam Cook before lunch as sunshine replaced cloud, the Notts openers picked up the tempo in the afternoon, claiming the initiative in finding four an over until over-ambition did for Slater, 10 overs from tea.