Chris Read helped himself to a second century of the season as Nottinghamshire dominated day three of their LV= County Championship game against Middlesex at Trent Bridge.
Having passed three figures for the first time this summer, in the four-day game between the sides at Lord's, back in April, the Notts captain was at it again, this time on home soil. Having been dropped on 54, the 36-year-old former England wicket keeper went on to score 108 from 206 balls as Notts built a useful first innings lead.
Resuming on their overnight score of 180 for 4, Notts found themselves in a spot of trouble when Samit Patel was bowled, in the third over of the day, at 184 for 5 and Steven Mullaney holed out to Tim Murtagh off Ollie Rayner 45 runs later.
At that stage, they still trailed Middlesex by 145. However, despite losing 15 overs to rain, Notts pushed on after lunch with Read and Brett Hutton adding 157 for the seventh wicket.
Read, who missed six weeks of the season from the middle of May due to a hamstring injury, struck eight fours in reaching his half century, off 101 balls, and posted three figures for the first time since mid April, off 190 balls.
Having been dropped at slip by Ollie Rayner on 54 – a sharp chance to Rayner's right hand - he eventually fell to Toby Roland-Jones, at 386 for 7. The captain's job was made all the more easy by Hutton, who batted beautifully to post his highest first class score of 72.
The 22-year-old bowling all-rounder brought up his own half century off 121 balls, with seven fours, and looked comfortable throughout against a Middlesex attack that offered precious little as the day wore on. Hutton continued to bat with due care and attention after his skipper's departure and with Luke Wood, who was dropped on 0 off the bowling of Dawid Malan, he added 25 for the eighth wicket.
However, he finally departed at 419 for 9 and at that juncture Notts declared with a first innings lead of 45. Middlesex opener Sam Robson and nightwatchman James Harris successfully negotiated the final two overs of the evening and trail Notts by 38 runs with all 10 second innings wickets in hand.
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Tea Update - Day 3 Trent Bridge
Chris Read led Nottinghamshire into a decent position at tea on day three of their LV= County Championship game against Middlesex at Trent Bridge.
The Notts captain helped himself to an unbeaten 77 as the host county not only survived the afternoon session without losing a wicket, but moved to within 63 of Notts' first innings total of 374 all out.
Read, who struck eight fours in reaching his half century, off 101 balls, was given valuable support from Brett Hutton, who was 26 not out at tea. The pair put on an unbeaten 82 for the seventh wicket to further frustrate the Division One high-flyers.
The only real chance for the visitors saw Ollie Rayner put down a sharp, one-handed catch at slip when Read had reached 54, at 279 for 6. The drop also took the pair to their 50 partnership, off 105 balls.
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Lunch Update - Day 3 Trent Bridge
Tim Murtagh and Ollie Rayner picked up a wicket apiece for Middlesex before rain forced an early lunch on the third day of their LV= County Championship game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Resuming on their overnight score of 180 for 4, Notts lost Samit Patel in the third over of the day, bowled by Murtagh for 14 at 184 for 5.
With 10 overs of the old ball remaining, Rayner joined the attack and bowled a decent line against half centurion Steven Mullaney and captain Chris Read.
Mullaney, who passed 50 on Monday evening, looked in decent touch before holing out to Murtagh off Rayner, at mid off, at 229 for 6. He struck 12 fours and faced 142 balls in reaching 76.
As he left the field, the rain began to fall and the sides, eventually, took an early lunch with Notts still 145 runs behind with four second wickets in hand.
