Notts v Yorkshire: Ballance & Bresnan miss out on tons

Bresnan's highest score of the summer has taken his season's total to 338 runs, to go with his 30 wickets

Gary Ballance and Tim Bresnan just missed out on centuries as Yorkshire moved within touching distance of the Championship title against Notts.

The White Rose county piled up 532-9 before declaring at Trent Bridge, despite spinner Gary Keedy's 5-163.

England batsman Ballance was lbw to Keedy for 99 and Bresnan made 95 before being caught at mid-wicket.

Alex Hales, James Taylor and Samit Patel then departed for ducks as Notts tottered to 58-4 in reply at stumps.

Yorkshire will claim their first title since 2001, and the Tykes' 31st overall, if they win, but even a draw might be good enough if Warwickshire do not achieve a maximum-points victory in their game against bottom club Northants.

Keedy plugged away to take five wickets in an innings for the 35th time in his career

Resuming on 319-4, Yorkshire were clearly intent on eliminating any possibility of a Notts victory, taking time out of the game, while at the same time piling up a big total.

Ballance, on 82 overnight, took his partnership with Jack Leaning (42) to 64 before playing back to Keedy to be trapped in front, but it did not herald the collapse Notts needed.

Adil Rashid hit six fours in his 42 before falling to Luke Fletcher, but tail-ender Steve Patterson (17) came in to help Bresnan add 57 for the eighth wicket as they pressed on towards 500.

Bresnan was caught on the boundary on 30, by Harry Gurney, only for the England left-armer to carry the ball over the rope for six.

Bresnan's eventual dismissal by Steven Mullaney prompted acting skipper Joe Root to declare, before the Notts top order was then swept away in a flurry of wickets.

Hales went for a duck after edging a beauty from Jack Brooks to the wicketkeeper, then Mullaney and Taylor gave the slip cordon catching practice as they chased angled deliveries in the same over from left-armer Ryan Sidebottom.

Television replays were consulted before Patel was given out, caught by Ballance at third slip off Brooks, but Michael Lumb (35 not out) and Riki Wessels (14 not out) prevented any further damage before the close.

Nottinghamshire batsman Riki Wessels:

"It's never easy to spend the best part of two full days in the field and there were probably a few tired legs going out there to bat.

"Individually, it would be nice to try and get a few runs tomorrow, but it's important we can get as close to them as we can.

"We've got to hang in there for as long as we can, try and get the match into the fourth day and see what happens."

Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan:

"On the whole that was a very good day. There might be some criticism about how we went about that, but for me it was 'keep them out there', get as many runs as we can and let the game take it's natural course.

"As soon as we passed 400, it was just a case of grinding them into the dirt.

"Obviously I'm disappointed to miss out on the hundred, but I probably only got as close as I did because the message came out to clump a few, get to around 550 and put them in."

BBC Radio Nottingham's Dave Bracegirdle:

"Like a marathon runner hitting the wall, Notts have started to run out of steam as the season draws towards its close.

"Tired after recent exertions, this match was always going to provide the sternest of tests, and two days in the field told on the Notts batsmen in the face of some excellent bowling.

"Lumb and Wessels have it within them to bat long on the third day - and will probably need to, with the champagne already on ice in the away dressing room."

Yorkshire's slip catching was assured as Notts made a dreadful start to their reply