Trent Bridge

(Day three of four, Nottinghamshire won the toss)

Nottinghamshire 202 and 279, Kent 238 and 129-4 (36 overs) M van Jaarsveld 45 not out, JM Kemp 1 not out, Broad 3-27

Lunch

Ryan McLaren took three wickets in 18 balls to leave Nottinghamshire battling to establish a feasible lead as the game advanced in the morning session.

The tall all-rounder, having recorded his highest score for the county on Thursday, set the collapse in motion when Adam Voges swished outside off stump to give Geraint Jones the first of three catches.

A hazy atmosphere helped the bowlers and McLaren maintained a good off-stump line and nagging back of a length. Samit Patel edged trying to withdraw his bat and Matthew Wood (58) was squared up by a peach of a ball.

Bilal Shafayat chopped on but Chris Read was going fluently by lunch when Nottinghamshire were 142 ahead overall.

Tea

Kent were left chasing 244 to win after Ryan McLaren returned his best figures for the county only 24 hours on from his batting best. Geraint Jones held nine catches in the innings but a simple dropped catch by Joe Denly before Stuart Broad had got off the mark threatened to prove costly in a low-scoring encounter.

Broad added a further 58 runs with Chris Read, whose stylish 88 from 132 balls was the highest score of the game to date. It ended with a brilliant diving catch at full stretch to his right by Jones, but Mark Ealham continued to frustrate the visiting side until Robbie Joseph struck with the first ball of a new spell.

Close

Stuart Broad proved a far more difficult proposition than he had on the second day but Kent were complicit in their own downfall as they counted down towards the 244 required to win. The England bowler took three wickets but, after James Tredwell was trapped leg-before, both Joe Denly and Matthew Walker were dismissed playing attacking shots.

Worse followed near the close when Darren Stevens, with the situation crying out for survival ahead of the climax tomorrow, attempted an extravagant drive against Mark Ealham which resulted in a low catch to the bucket hands of Will Jefferson at second slip. Van Jaarsveld showed more discipline and Kent need 115 more for victory.

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