JAMES IN WICKETS AS SECONDS MADE TO WORK HARD FOR VICTORY

Nottinghamshire Seconds remain in control of their County Championship match with Worcestershire, but are being made to work much harder for victory than at first seemed likely.

With the hosts resuming on the second day at 33-7 in reply to Notts’ 345, they rallied to make their way up to 133 before being bowled out.

Then as the follow-on was enforced, Worcestershire made a much better fist of things second time around, reaching 268-6 at the close, a lead of 56.

Josh Dell (25) and Steve Magoffin (28) began the day in tandem and took the total past 50 before Luke Wood completed his five-fer when the former edged through to keeper Tom Keast.

Magoffin fell to a great catch at cover by Chris Gibson off Tim Wyatt’s bowling, while Tom Fell (32) added 52 with George Rhodes (14 not out) before he was last out, bowled by Lyndon James.

Worcestershire began their second knock 212 runs behind and quickly lost opener Ollie Westbury (4) as he nicked Mark Footitt behind to Keast prior to lunch.

Having played so well as a last wicket pairing in the first innings, Rhodes (55) and Fell (59) then proceeded to put on 105 for the second wicket.

Fell was eventually bowled by James, who then repeated the trick twice more to remove Dell for 10 and Rhodes, making the score 138-4.

But with Notts eyeing a swift ending to the game, Ryan Gibson (75 not out) joined Will Wade (39) to add another 116 for the fifth wicket, carrying Worcestershire into the lead in the process.

However, the partnership was eventually broken when Wade was unlucky to be run out by Saad Ashraf when slipping while running a single.

Ben Twohig followed almost immediately as he completed a pair for the match, caught at mid-off by Chris Gibson off the bowling of Jake Libby.

But Ryan Gibson stood firm as he was joined by Dan Richardson (4 not out), and James finished as the pick of the bowlers with 3-43.

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