Do not underestimate the all-consuming competitiveness of Justin Langer. The former Australia opener and Marcus Trescothick scored their runs in a manner yesterday that was quite removed from Somerset's abysmal batting in the first innings.

Before play was abandoned for the day at five o'clock they had put on 114, reducing Nottinghamshire's lead to just ten runs. Their cover driving was no less impressive than the former England opener's six, which was swung into the newly installed seats.

Langer was unbeaten with 60, which included eight fours mostly struck in an arc between cover point and mid-wicket, and Trescothick was on 50, with seven fours in addition to that pulled six. The conditions were easier than they had been on the first day, the ball not swinging as much and - to the naked eye from the boundary edge - the covering of grass less prominent, but there was more concentration and application from the batsmen. These are, after all, two of the most experienced openers in the game.

Nothing better illustrated the dominance of bat over ball than their treatment of Darren Pattinson, who had taken five for 40 on Wednesday. Yesterday, he conceded that many runs in 5.5 overs without taking a wicket.

Nottinghamshire were without Chris Read, the captain, after he had dislocated his right thumb standing up to Mark Ealham's medium pace, but Read expects to resume behind the stumps today. Read had batted wonderfully well in the morning, finishing with an unbeaten 74 that enabled the LV Championship first division leaders to take a 124-run advantage.

This was not least because the other three remaining batsmen went quickly: Ealham was well taken by Craig Kieswetter off the second ball of the day; Andre Adams also went to a nicely judged catch, by Ian Blackwell running back from mid on; and Pattinson was sharply held at first slip by Langer off Alfonso Thomas.

All three batsmen went for ducks and, had Read not been dropped on the deep square leg boundary by Steffan Jones off Thomas - a dipping but not impossible ball to catch - Nottinghamshire would not have reached a total of 200. So, a match which appeared as if it might not last more than two days could well go into the fourth day. Given that Somerset are third in the table much is be riding on the outcome.

Scoreboard

Somerset: First Innings 106 (D J Pattinson 5 for 40, A R Adams 4 for 39)

Second Innings
*J L Langer not out 60
M E Trescothick not out 50
Extras (lb 4) 4

Total (no wkt, 27.5 overs) 114

Bowling: Shreck 11-1-29-0; Pattinson 5.5-0-40-0; Ealham 1-0-9-0; Adams 6-1-17-0; Swann 4-0-15-0.

Nottinghamshire: First Innings (overnight 185-6)
*†C M W Read not out 74
M A Ealham c Kieswetter b Thomas 0
A R Adams c Blackwell b Trego 0
D J Pattinson c Langer b Thomas 0
C E Shreck lbw b Willoughby 2
Extras (lb 6, w 1, nb 8) 15

Total (64 overs) 230

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-67, 3-82, 4-89, 5-108, 6-182, 7-186, 8-189, 9-193.

Bowling: Caddick 12-2-61-1; Willoughby 17-3-45-2; Thomas 14-1-48-3; Trego 17-4-54-4; Jones 4-0-16-0.

Umpires: N G Cowley and B Leadbeater.