Durham are 62 runs away from a third County Championship title in six years. After being bowled out for 256 and then bowling Nottinghamshire out for 246 on Day 2, Durham were set 69 for victory and finished on 7-0 at stumps on Day 2.
The second day started with Durham 207-8 with a lead of 129 with Paul Collingwood 53no and Jamie Harrison at the crease.
The key target was 250 with the second batting point meaning a win in this match would hand Durham the Championship and not have to worry about anything their nearest rivals Yorkshire were doing in their match against Sussex.
Collingwood carried on from where he left off yesterday and Jamie Harrison played a good supporting role as Durham continued to put a solid lead together with the pair putting on 32 before Harrison was trapped lbw for 8 by Mullaney.
When the last man in, Chris Rushworth came to the crease the scoreboard read 239-9 and Durham were very close to that crucial point.
It was the number eleven Rushworth who negotiated the points when he found the boundary to bring up the 250. Durham added a further six runs before Rushworth edged to Patel at third slip and finished all out for 256, a lead of 178.
Collingwood drew tremendous applause as he left the field from the healthy crowd that had gathered at Emirates Durham with his 87no a superb Captain’s knock which swung the momentum back in his side’s favour and put them in the box seat after both team’ first innings.
Notts came to the crease with a 178 run deficit and started with purpose as they tried to knock the runs off. Just the one wicket fell before lunch with Chris Rushworth claiming Wessells wicket after he found Michael Richardson at third slip, Nottingham 24-1.
Mullaney and Lumb then negotiated through to the break to have them 41-1 at lunch.
The pair then put on a further 38 to frustrate the Durham attack until Graham Onions got the breakthrough, trapping Lumb lbw for 28, to end a 55-run stand and have the visitors 79-2, trailing by 99.
Nottingham continued to annoy the Durham attack and Mullaney was particularly impressive in the middle, combining with James Taylor to get them past 100.
Chris Rushworth then claimed the much needed wicket for Durham, striking just before tea, ripping Taylor’s leg stump from the ground, Nottinghamshire 112-3.
The visitors steadied going into the tea break but it was Durham who fired after the break.
Graham Onions struck the first over after tea, trapping the danger man Mullaney lbw for 72 and the following over Jamie Harrison took his first of the innings as Patel edged to Scott Borthwick at 3rd slip and Durham had them 5 wickets down, still trailing by 44 runs.
Onions then took another in his next over with Read caught behind and all of a sudden Nottingham were 6 wickets down.
Dave Hussey and Franks then combined late in the day to put on 69 before the change to spin proved effective for Durham.
Scott Borthwick struck on his first ball to dismiss Franks for 29 and it wasn’t long after when Durham took their 8th wicket with Ben Stokes claiming the wicket of Adams who found Jennings just inside the boundary.
Dave Hussey continued at the crease and kept the lead ticking over for Notts and he and Fletcher kept the tail wagging until Stokes took another wicket when Fletcher hit to Rushworth, the visitors 9 wickets down for 235.
A further 11 runs were added before Hussey was the last man out on 57 as he chopped on to give Stokes his 3rd and Nottinghamshire were all out for 246 with a lead of 68.
Durham negotiated the one over left in the day and finished on 7-0 and decided not to take the extra half an hour knowing there were two days left in the match to get the 62 runs.
Despite rain forecast for most of tomorrow Durham need just the 62 runs to celebrate the county’s 21st year in the best way possible.
NOTE: It is Free Entry for the final two days play and DCCC encourage everyone to come and show their support for the team.