In another incident-packed day, perhaps the key contribution yesterday came from Tony Pigott, the pitch liaison officer. After twenty wickets had fallen on the first day, only ten fell yesterday and Pigott departed shortly after tea yesterday satisfied that there was nothing more sinister in the pitch than a few cracks. “It hasn’t been consistent inconsistent bounce, which is what would make for a poor pitch,” Pigott said, no doubt to Nottinghamshire’s great relief.

Charlie Shreck swung the ball from a good line to take five for 40 for the home side, while Chris Read equalled his career best of six catches in an innings. The target of 145 that Nottinghamshire are chasing is far from a foregone conclusion and Sajid Mahmood had Will Jefferson caught at slip before the close. But the pitch has deteriorated as each day has gone on, which should give the home side plenty of hope this morning.

One thing that was consistently consistent yesterday, to use the pitch inspector’s vernacular, was Shreck’s swing bowling. In the afternoon session, he took three key wickets, all of them caught by Read. Mal Loye edged a loose cut shot, while Mark Chilton and Stuart Law both edged drives at full-length balls.

Read was responsible for five of the first six wickets to fall and it could have been six if he had not dropped Paul Horton off Darren Pattinson.

Nottinghamshire had been held up in the morning by Gary Keedy, who batted No11 in Lancashire’s first innings but was promoted to No1 as in the second. Presumably, he was promoted to fulfil nightwatchman’s duties, but he batted so well in the morning session that he almost convinced as an opening batsman.

He outscored Horton, his partner, for much of the morning, stroking boundaries straight and through the covers before he was caught behind off Paul Franks.

Shreck then burst through the Lancashire middle-order before returning after tea to have Luke Sutton caught at slip from an outswinger and Sajid Mahmood leg-before to one that ducked in the other way.

Nottinghamshire are hoping to re-sign Andre Adams, the former New Zealand all-rounder, who had a short stint with them at the end of last season and could come back as a non-overseas player. Adams was at Trent Bridge yesterday going through his paces with Phillip DeFreitas, the Nottinghamshire bowling coach.

Scoreboard

Lancashire: First Innings 113 (S G Law 55; D J Pattinson 6 for 30)

Second Innings (overnight 4-0)

G Keedy c Read b Franks 29

P J Horton b Franks 37

M J Chilton c Read b Shreck 10

M B Loye c Read b Shreck 9

F du Plessis c Read b Ealham 36

*S G Law c Read b Shreck 11

S J Croft c Patel b Swann 25

†L D Sutton c Swann b Shreck 23

S J Mullaney c Read b Pattinson 15

D G Cork not out 5

S I Mahmood lbw b Shreck 1

Extras (lb 10, nb 22) 32

Total (85.3 overs) 233

Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-77, 3-107, 4-114, 5-146, 6-166, 7-204, 8-225, 9-225.

Bowling: Pattinson 15-3-51-1; Ealham 17-4-39-1; Shreck 26.3-13-40-5; Swann 12-1-28-1; Franks 15-1-65-2.

Nottinghamshire: First Innings 202 (S R Patel 74, M A Wagh 55; S J Croft 4 for 51)

Second Innings

W I Jefferson c Horton b Mahmood 0

M J Wood not out 28

P J Franks not out 4

Extras (lb 1) 1

Total (1 wkt, 9 overs) 33

Fall of wicket: 1-29.

Bowling: Cork 1-1-0-0; Mahmood 4-1-11-1; Croft 3-0-21-0; Mullaney 1-1-0-0.

Umpires: R J Bailey and J W Holder.