Essex 253 and 329 for 7 (Walter 79, Critchley 68) lead Nottinghamshire 293 by 289 runs
Nottinghamshire look probably to be chasing a 300-plus goal on the final day of their Vitality County Championship towards Essex after the guests hauled themselves out of a difficult scenario on day three at Trent Bridge.
At 129 for five shortly earlier than lunch – simply 89 runs in entrance – Essex appeared at risk of slipping to defeat, doubtlessly in three days.
It leaves the match properly poised for an intriguing last day, through which Nottinghamshire will fancy their probabilities if they will take the final two wickets rapidly however Essex could be favourites if they will stretch their benefit in the direction of 350.
A win for Essex would possibly turn out to be significantly necessary of their ambitions for the season with a attainable factors deduction awaiting if the bat that opener Feroze Khushi was ordered to change after an on-field test on day two is confirmed to have exceeded the most permitted dimension.
Essex had resumed on 65 for 1, 25 runs in entrance, at the begin of day three, with neither of the gamers who provided the bedrock of their first-innings rating ready to make an analogous contribution second time round.
Dean Elgar, who had appeared poised for a debut hundred on Friday earlier than a corker from Dane Paterson undid him, copped for one more respectable ball in the day’s third over. This time it got here from the all-rounder Lyndon James, the ball discovering a niche between bat and pad and seeming to pinball off the South African’s wrist and thigh pad earlier than leaving the three stumps spectacularly leaning in numerous instructions.
His fellow Essex debutant, Jordan Cox, out for 84 in the first innings, confronted just one ball, tickling Brett Hutton’s second supply of the day down the leg aspect to be caught behind. Hutton’s first ball had seen nightwatchman Sam Prepare dinner – dropped on 14 – nick one outdoors off stump to fall on 29.
Critchley survived Hutton’s try to emulate Prepare dinner with a hat-trick nevertheless it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Essex suffered an extra setback as skipper Tom Westley modified his thoughts about enjoying a ball from Dillon Pennington outdoors off stump however not rapidly sufficient, feathering a 3rd catch of the innings to wicketkeeper Clarke to go away his aspect in potential peril at 129 for five.
Simply as the first two innings had been outlined by single huge partnerships, the third adopted the identical sample, Walter becoming a member of Critchley to plot a secure passage to lunch earlier than taking the lead function in a 31-over afternoon session through which the house aspect had been barely ready to generate a scare for his or her opponents, not to mention a wicket.
By tea their alliance was price 132, Essex had been 221 to the good and in a robust place, assuming the second new ball – accessible seven overs into the last session – didn’t immediate the night collapse that had been the different attribute of the first two days.
In the occasion, some inroads got here prematurely of that, leg-spinner Calvin Harrison hanging twice in three overs as Walter, who had batted with rising confidence for his 79, edged the third ball after the break to be caught at slip with no addition to the rating and Simon Harmer, ft rooted to the floor as he tried to minimize, was snapped up by Clarke for his fourth catch of the innings.
Hutton eliminated Critchley leg earlier than in the fifth over with the new ball as Essex misplaced their eighth wicket however a flurry of attacking photographs at the different finish noticed Pennington concede 5 boundaries in two overs as the Essex lead edged in the direction of 300 earlier than rain arrived, with 22 overs misplaced from the day’s scheduled 99.
