County Championship: Jake Libby helps Notts set daunting run chase for Worcestershire

Jake Libby's ton against Nottinghamshire was his first in the four-day format this season

Worcestershire survived a tricky 19 overs to reach 43-0 in their second innings as they chased a tough victory target of 462 against Nottinghamshire.

Worcestershire took their overnight total of 215-7 to 287, meaning the hosts had a first-innings lead of 212.

Notts decided against enforcing the follow-on and piled on the runs through Jake Libby (100 not out), Samit Patel (71) and Riki Wessels (55 not out).

But unbeaten openers Daryl Mitchell (19) and Martin Guptill (18) held firm.

Earlier, Libby had added to his first-innings score of 88 by scoring the fifth century of his career as Notts dominated the third day of the Division One day-night fixture at Trent Bridge.

The 25-year old opener reached the landmark from 144 deliveries, with six fours, prompting the declaration at 249-4.

Before then, Patel contributed his second score of more than 70 in the match, while Wessels weighed in with a thrilling 57 from 40 balls for his second half-century.

But, despite Stuart Broad charging in during a lively new-ball spell with the pink ball, the visitors kept all their wickets in tact under the lights and reduced the run-chase to 419 on the final day.

Nottinghamshire opener Jake Libby:

"It was nice to get the first hundred of the season. I was a bit disappointed not to pick it up in the first innings, so it was a bit more of a bonus to do it in the second innings.

"I didn't think I'd get there but I was obviously delighted to finish not out as well.

"The other guys are all very positive that bat around me, so I just tried to negotiate it as best I could and it was nice to play a few shots at the end."

Worcestershire pace bowler Dillon Pennington:

"When I got asked to play this week I knew it would be really challenging and hard, but I didn't think it would be so mentally hard and physically tiring.

"In their first innings, we did 140-odd overs in the field and it was a big shock to the body. The standard and the pink ball is new and the pitch is so flat it's been so hard to get any rewards.

"The margins for error are so much smaller, which I found hard. You miss your line and length by the smallest bit and it's four because the outfield is like glass."