The record books were rewritten as ChrisRead collected his first-ever double century in the high-scoring Championshipdraw against Essex.

Essex 700-9 (Swann 4-166)
Notts 791 (Read 240, Patel 117, Wagh 107,Swann 97, Ealham 54)
Essex 63-1

Match drawn
Notts 11 points, Essex 10 points
Scorecard

On a flat and lifeless pitch at Chelmsford,the batsmen were utterly dominant with six different players making hundreds,including personal bests for Read and Essex's Andy Bichel and Graham Napier.

Faced with a mammoth total of 700-9 afterEssex's first innings, Notts passed their follow-on target of 551 with someease and eventually set their highest-ever first-class total, beating theprevious record of 739-7 against Leicestershire in 1903.

Read was the principal scorer, batting formore than seven hours to compile 240 off 328 balls, with 23 fours and eightsixes - beating his previous best of 165 not out earlier in the season in thereverse fixture at Trent Bridge, and setting a new standard for a Nottswicketkeeper.

But the platform was set by a third-wicketpartnership of 192 between Mark Wagh and Samit Patel, who both recordedcenturies of their own on day three.

That eased the pressure on the visitorsafter Essex skipper Mark Pettini won the toss, chose to bat and then watchedhis side pile on the runs.

Notts stand-in captain David Hussey hadsome initial joy as he deputised for Stephen Fleming, out with a sore back, asEssex were at one stage 224-6.

But Husseysoon found himself rotating the bowlers as the scoreboard began to rattlealong, with James Foster, Bichel and Napier all plundering runs. Even thepresence of Ryan Sidebottom, made available to play at the last moment byEngland, could not stem the tide.

Read came to the crease with the score at296-4 but dominated the bowling attack right from the start.

He eventually fell with Notts just fourshort of equalling the 1903 team record, but Rob Ferley and Sidebottom safelyset the new benchmark.

With nothing to play for on the finalafternoon, Patel picked up the wicket of Pettini before stumps were drawn at 5pm.