Nottinghamshire enjoyed the better of things on the second day of their Rothesay County Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley.

They ended it with an overall lead of 296 runs, closing on 227 for three in their second innings with Ben Slater making 78 and Joe Clarke unbeaten on 73.

Earlier, Mohammad Abbas claimed his second five-wicket haul in the county’s colours, taking 6 for 45 as the home county were bundled out shortly after lunch for only 159.

Abbas took the last four wickets to fall, following on from the dismissals of Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean on the first evening and felt that his side had enjoyed a pretty good first day.

“It was hard work because we had to bat first, but a score of 228 was not bad on that wicket and then we were able to get a couple of wickets," he said.

“Today the conditions were very good for bowling, it was cloudy but you still have to put a lot of effort in to get the rewards.”

Dillon Pennington and Brett Hutton each bagged a couple of wickets on the second morning and Abbas said that was good for the morale of the group.

“I think that it is really nice for everyone to chip in and get some wickets, they are all feeling very good,” said the 33-year old. “Then I got a few more wickets and we ended with a healthy first innings lead.”

The Pakistan Test star is closing in on 800  First-Class wickets and his haul at Headingley was the 49th time he has taken five wickets or more in an innings, a stat that he is well aware of.

“I’m always looking at my record and things,” he said. “I’m now one away from getting 50 First-Class five-wicket hauls and I will be doing my best to try and do it here in the second innings.

“Things like that make me very proud and I’m feeling good right now, to be honest.

“I always give of my best, so to see things like this gives me lots of happiness. I will continue to work hard because you have to do that all the time as a professional.”

Abbas was indebted to some sharp slip catching for a couple of his wickets and said that the players have been practicing hard this week.

“We dropped a couple of catches at Durham and that cost us. They guys have worked hard with the coaches and we have seen the results.

“I think we are in a very strong position now, thanks to the efforts of our batters in this last session.”

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