Nottinghamshire enjoyed the better of the final day against Yorkshire at Headingley but ran out of time and had to settle for a draw.

A stand of 115 between James Taylor and Chris Read helped the county to their second innings total of 335-8, with the declaration coming just before tea.

The home side had been set to score 294 in 39 overs but had limped their way to 53-3, at which point the two captains agreed to shake hands.

Taylor, having passed fifty on five previous occasions this season, again suffered the disappointment of missing out on three figures as he fell for 96, Read scored 75 and Peter Siddle hit a stylish 48 not out.

With everything to play for at the start of the day, the opening half hour was surprisingly, fairly unproductive for both sides, with Notts adding just 15 runs and Yorkshire failing to dislodge the not out batsmen, Michael Lumb and James Taylor.

Lumb progressed to his highest score of the season, beating the 45 he made in the first innings, but then got bogged down on 49. In all, he had been in the 40s for a total of 48 minutes, 11 of them the previous evening, before falling.

Steven Patterson, clearly coming towards the end of a spell, found an extra bit of bounce to kiss the outside edge of Lumb’s bat and Jonny Bairstow made an excellent job of grasping it with the gloves.

Samit Patel (0) came to the wicket having made a 4-ball nought in the first innings. This time, he clipped his third delivery firmly to Adil Rashid at short midwicket off the same bowler.

Riki Wessels (18) collected three exquisite boundaries off Tim Bresnan, two through extra cover and one to fine leg but then fell to a full, straight one that brought an lbw verdict as it thudded into his pads

Taylor, meanwhile, had played a near-flawless innings, rotating the strike at every opportunity and peppering the boundary boards from anything that was short or wide.

He passed fifty (123 balls 8x4) for the sixth time in this season’s championship and then found a willing partner in Read, who continued his fine recent form.

Playing positively, the skipper dominated as the partnership was stretched beyond 50 and then plundered a Rashid full toss over midwicket for six as the session drew to a close.

Notts pressed on in the early afternoon and Read soon joined his partner with a half century to his name (55 balls 7x4 1x6) as the lead stretched beyond 200, shortly after the taking of the second new ball.

A difficult caught and bowled chance went begging as Read blasted the ball back at Patterson but the Notts captain was undeterred and continued to increase the run-rate.

Taylor went past his 88, made against Durham, and was within four of his century when Bresnan dismissed him. A lengthy drinks break preceded his downfall but it took a stunning diving catch from Rashid, at square leg, to end the partnership.

Peter Siddle was full of shots when he arrived in the middle and made 39 of the 45 he added with the Notts skipper. Read (75), in the search for quick runs, holed out to give Rashid his fourth catch of the match.

Andre Adams (0) emulated Patel in registering a pair, slogging Patterson to Finch at long on. Siddle kept his wicket intact for the second time in the game, ending on 48 not out, following his unbeaten 39 on the first day.

His chances of reaching a maiden half century for Notts evaporated when Read declared straight after Ajmal Shahzad (12 not out) walloped Patterson for a straight 6.

The wickets had been shared between just two bowlers, with Patterson taking 4-57 and Bresnan 4-112.

It was immediately apparent that Yorkshire weren’t interested in pursuing an unlikely run chase. Lees (6) and Lyth (13) began slowly and paid the price as Adams made inroads with two early wickets.

Lees was caught behind, then Leaning (15) mistimed a pull and lifted the ball high to Shahzad at mid on.

Adams then turned catcher as he swooped to grasp Lyth at the second attempt, round the corner, off Patel. At 34-3 there were still 20 overs left but  Gale and Bairstow ensured there were no further calamities and batted until eight overs from the end, at which point the match was called off.

At the halfway stage of the season Nottinghamshire have now won two, lost two and drawn four of their eight matches and remain fourth in the table ahead of their next championship fixture, at home to Middlesex, a match which begins at midday on Saturday 14th June.