Nottinghamshire were left feeling frustrated after only 11.3 overs of cricket were possible on the third day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Durham at Chester-le-Street.

Persistent drizzle and the occasional squally shower kept the players off the field for most of the day, although Notts did manage to pick up two wickets in the short passage of play that was squeezed in.

Keaton Jennings remains a threat to the visitors’ victory hopes, standing firm on 82 out, as Durham stretched their overall lead to 58 as they closed on 201 for seven.

Light drizzle put back the start of play but it eventually relented and things got underway around 85 minutes late with Durham resuming on 162 for five in their second innings, a lead of just 19.

Without addition to the score Jake Ball struck with the eleventh delivery of the day, bowling Ryan Pringle for his overnight score of two.

Ball and Pattinson toiled away without further success but the switch to the left-arm pace of Harry Gurney ended the seventh wicket stand of 27.

Gurney bowled a brute of a ball that nipped back sharply and re-arranged Poynter’s stumps for 17 but any further progress was halted as rain began to fall.

At around 5.15pm, four hours after the players left the field, the umpires finally called time on a highly frustrating day.