Nottinghamshire’s persistence was rewarded on day three of the Vitality County Championship clash against Essex, as a century stand in the afternoon session was bookended by a spate of wickets to keep the contest finely poised. 

The partnership between Matt Critchley and Paul Walter appeared to put Essex on course towards a dominant position despite losing three wickets for 35 runs in the first session, the pair adding 132 for the sixth wicket-partnership to put the away side 221 ahead at tea.

But a pair of wickets from Calvin Harrion after the break, supplemented by a scalp for Brett Hutton, left Essex leading by 289 with two wickets in hand ahead of the final day. 

In the third over of the day, Lyndon James nipped one off a good length into the stumps via Elgar’s glove with Essex on 78, before Westley combined with nightwatchman Sam Cook to offer resistance.

Indeed the latter began to strike the ball sweetly, having looked solid in the evening session of day two. 

His confidence grew as he pulled Dane Paterson into the Smith Cooper stand, before Nottinghamshire wrestled back momentum with a sustained spell of pressure. 

35 runs - including just three boundaries - were scored in 18 overs as the Green and Golds strangled the visitors. 

Cook felt the immediate pinch as he wafted at Hutton only to edge to Clarke for 29, before the pair combined to dismiss Cox with the next delivery to reduce Essex to 109/4.

Pennington joined the act an hour - but only 20 runs - later, the new signing inducing a feather from Tom Westley to leave Essex five down with a lead of 89 and give Notts’ wicketkeeper his fifth dismissal of the game

Critchley and Walter rebuffed Notts in the afternoon session, however, scoring at just under four runs per over as the pendulum swung once more. 

The latter batted with increasing fluency to bring up his half century off 66 balls, while Critchley brought up the same landmark off more than double the number of deliveries shortly after. 

Harrison struck two balls after the restart as Duckett snaffled a smart catch low to his left before Simon Harmer top edged the leg-spinner to Clarke. 

And there was time for Hutton to trap Critchley in front before rain brought a premature half to proceedings with Snater and Rossington concluding proceedings.