County Championship: Steven Mullaney century keeps Nottinghamshire on top of Essex

Steven Mullaney scored his first County Championship hundred since the end of the 2019 season

Nottinghamshire captain Steven Mullaney scored his first County Championship century since the end of 2019 as they continued to stay on top of Essex.

Mullaney made 117 in Nottinghamshire's 323 as they took a 224-run lead.

Lyndon James also made 51, while Shane Snater claimed a career-best 7-98 to be the pick of Essex's bowlers.

Essex closed on 129-3 in their second innings, with Nick Browne (60 not out) making his second half-century, but the champions still trail by 95 runs.

Nottinghamshire pressed on their overnight advantage from 188-4, as Mullaney added 123 with James for the fifth wicket.

Stuart Broad (41) also added a quickfire 66 with his skipper for the eighth wicket, before Mullaney was clean bowled by Peter Siddle having made his 16th first-class century and his first against Essex in red-ball cricket.

Essex were staring at the prospect of a quick innings defeat when Alastair Cook (35), Tom Westley (1) and Dan Lawrence (11) were all back in the pavilion at 89-3.

But opener Browne and Paul Walter (14 not out) added an unbroken 30 for the fourth wicket by stumps to reduce Essex's deficit to double digits.