Northants v Nottinghamshire: Visitors set for final-day run chase

Andrew Hall passed 500 Championship runs for the season with his innings of 67

Nottinghamshire will need 211 to beat Northants on the final day of their Division One encounter at Wantage Road.

The visitors added only four to their overnight score and were dismissed for 388 as David Willey finished with 4-46.

Rob Keogh's 59 helped the hosts to 122-2, before Andre Adams (3-53) took three quick wickets to put Notts on top.

Adam Rossington (80) and Andrew Hall (67) pushed Northants to 338 all out, with Luke Fletcher taking 4-76, before Notts faced one over before the close.

Nightwatchman Ajmal Shahzad, who earlier in the day ended unbeaten on 68 in Nottinghamshire's first innings, faced all six balls from David Willey.

Rossington, who made 103 in the first innings, had arrived at the crease on a hat-trick ball after Adams had removed Keogh and Ben Duckett.

Once again, he was the mainstay of the Northants innings, hitting 13 fours and an elegantly-flicked six over square leg off Harry Gurney, before being caught behind by Chris Read.

Notts had to do without Adams in the final session, but they finally dismissed the hosts when substitute fielder James Franklin superbly caught Willey (28) on the boundary.

The second-innings score for bottom-of-the-table Northants represented the first time this season they had passed 250 in each innings.

Nottinghamshire first-team coach Wayne Noon:

"We would have taken a scenario where we are set 211 on the final day.

"You can look back at different things and say we maybe could have got them out cheaper here or there, or got a few more runs but you've just got to put that out of your heads.

"We're chasing 211, that's the end of it and we've got to get on with it.

"With only one over left at the end of the day it made sense to send Ajmal in, rather than one of the batsmen.

"He's in good form and we hope he can blunt the new-ball attack and score a few runs in the morning."

BBC Radio Northampton's Chris Egerton:

"An engrossing day's cricket at Wantage Road where the home side showed real resistance.

"There were glorious shots all around the wicket from Keogh and Rossington, who made his maiden Championship century in the first innings.

"Hall's knock was more dogged and their cause was helped by Andre Adams's absence after tea through injury.

"A chase of 211 should not prove onerous but the odd ball is lifting sharply off the back of a length.

"If Northants bowl to the maximum of their abilities, a first Championship win is not impossible."