Nottinghamshire v Northants: Riki Wessels blasts 107 to give hosts commanding lead

Riki Wessels passed 10,000 first-class runs on the way to making his 22nd career century

Riki Wessels struck 107 not out to give Nottinghamshire a commanding lead over Northants on day two at Trent Bridge.

Wessels took the game away from his former county in a 79-ball knock, which included 14 fours and four sixes and gave Notts a 389-run advantage.

Earlier Cheteshwar Pujara (34) and Samit Patel (64) had laid the foundations before a spirited Rory Kleinveldt (3-81) bowled both batsmen.

Bad light prevented any play in the evening session leaving Notts on 317-8.

The hosts resumed on 19-0, a lead of 91, after 20 wickets had fallen on the first day and it took the counter-attacking of Wessels and Patel to put bat on top of ball.

Patel set the tone, hitting 12 fours and a six in his 59-ball innings, before Wessels followed the 69 he scored in the first-innings.

An incredible display of ball-striking helped him pass the career landmark of 10,000 first-class runs.

The weather stopped Notts from really cementing their advantage but, with two days left, they will be confident of adding to their 35-point gap at the top of Division Two.

Notts batsman Riki Wessels told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"10,000 first class runs is a nice milestone to tick off and to get a hundred with it just adds to the occasion. It is something I am immensely proud of.

"It seemed a bit tricky in that some balls would move quite excessively at times but the longer I tried to hang in there I felt there was more chance I would get out.

"It's always nice to get runs against Northants. There were some brutal comments thrown around in 2010 when I left. Those people are no longer there and I've got plenty of friends in the current side - but it's still pleasing to get runs against them."

Northants captain Alex Wakeley told BBC Radio Northampton:

"We've been thoroughly outplayed on both days. It was an exceptional innings from Riki Wessels. That's as good a knock, especially in the situation, that you are going to come across.

"At the moment his two innings have been the defining moments in the game. The light has helped us out a little bit but we've still got a massive task ahead of us.

"Me and Adam Rossington have both had x-rays (finger injuries). I did mine catching Alex Hales in the slips on the first day but Rosso's doesn't look too promising. And Ben Sanderson walking off like that didn't look very good. We think it's a hamstring."