Chris Read played a captain's innings at Trent Bridge to set up a tantalising final day of Nottinghamshire's LV= County Championship Division One game against Worcestershire.

After two days of contrasting fortunes, for both sides, Nottinghamshire dominated the penultimate day thanks to Read's innings of 73 off 122 balls. He batted four minutes short of three hours as Notts set Worcestershire 324 to win, in three sessions and five overs and by the close the visitors had reached 13 for 0.

Notts, who led by 72 runs overnight, batted with a degree of comfort for much of the day as Worcestershire's five-man bowling attack toiled in temperatures that soared into the mid 30s.

James Taylor, batting with a runner due to a hamstring injury, and Riki Wessels, added 105 for the fourth wicket before the latter was brilliantly caught by Joe Clarke at deep point, for 55. Then, with Taylor having posted his half-century, from 133 balls, runner Alex Hales was ran out going for a third run, at 201 for 5.

It was not until lunch had been digested that Notts and Read in particular, turned the screw. Having seen Samit Patel become Saeed Ajmal's single victim of the day – trapped lbw for 31, off 69 balls – Read and Brett Hutton batted with due care and attention on a wicket that was improving by the hour.

Read, who passed 50 off 82 balls, played the leading role with Hutton chipping in nicely with 34 in a seventh wicket partnership of 93. The 22-year-old, who had bowled well the previous day, in the absence of Luke Fletcher and for long periods, Andy Carter, struck three boundaries during an innings that lasted 101 balls and exactly two hours.

Hutton became Jack Shantry's second wicket of the innings at 327 for 7 and then, five runs later, the left-armer deservedly picked up a third when Read, in attempting a lavish pull shot, chopped on to his own off stump.

Ben Hilfenhaus departed at 341 for 9, to once again reward Shantry, and when Fletcher played on, the Worcestershire left armer finished with figures of 5 for 48. 

Late in the day, Patel failed to hold on to a tough chance at square leg off Richard Oliver when he was on 10 and Worcestershire survived the final five overs of the day to leave themselves needing a further 311 to win on day four.

 

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