Nottinghamshire were held up by a frustrating opening stand but still go into the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Lancashire with a healthy advantage.

The home side extended their first innings until mid-afternoon, racking up a score of 474 in the process, earning a lead worth 198.

Haseem Hameed and Tom Smith remained together for the remainder of the day in putting on 128 together but Lancashire are still 70 runs behind.

Notts began the day on 303-5, a lead of just 27. Samit Patel and Riki Wessels had already put on 62 for the sixth wicket, despite a lengthy stoppage on the second evening, plus a burst from the second new ball.

Although watchful at the start, both batsmen began to accelerate nicely and turned the opening hour of the day into one of steady accumulation.

Wessels reached his 50 from 107 deliveries, with eight boundaries – and the century partnership came up from 196 balls.

Tom Smith came into the attack to replace Neil Wagner at the Pavilion End and broke the stand immediately, having Patel caught behind by Steven Croft for 67.

Smith’s morning continued to flourish as he then removed Wessels, caught at slip by Liam Livingstone for 62.

Notts were clearly chasing maximum batting points at this stage and they managed to achieve their goal with one ball of the 110th over remaining.

Stuart Broad and Brett Hutton batted on after lunch and each made 46 before being bowled. Matt Parkinson accounted for the England man, clipping the off stump with his leg spin, then Wagner closed out in the innings by uprooting two of Hutton’s stumps.

Imran Tahir made seven before hoisting Wagner high towards third man but it was Liam Livingstone running back from slip who took the catch. Harry Gurney applied a couple of lusty blows in reaching 12 not out.

Notts had an injury scare to contend with, early in Lancashire’s second innings as ‘keeper Wessels was forced from the field. Diving to his left he injured a finger and handed over the gloves to Brendan Taylor – but after treatment he returned after the tea interval.

Steven Mullaney rotated his bowlers but no-one could forge a breakthrough as Hameed, 58 not out, and Smith, with an unbeaten 66, put on a century stand for the county for the first time in 22 innings.

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