Any opportunity to remind Michael Vaughan of his batting abilities is gratefully accepted by Chris Read. When the wicketkeeper played under Vaughan for England, he never gained the full confidence of his captain, who preferred the batting of Geraint Jones, but Read hit a jaunty century yesterday, his twelfth in first-class cricket, to transform his side's position in this match.

Read helped to rescue Nottinghamshire from 115 for five, reaching his hundred from 168 balls, and is guiding them towards a substantial first-innings lead. Having added 136 for the sixth wicket with Graeme Swann, he has so far put on a further 105 with Stuart Broad, who has made a fluent half-century.

Read drove crisply off front and back foot through the off side. He offered just one chance, a hard slash to second slip off Darren Gough when he had made 93, which was spilt by Tim Bresnan. Shortly afterwards, Read completed his century with his twelfth four, a neat cover drive off Bresnan that was retrieved from the boundary by Vaughan.

The draw remains the most likely result, but Vaughan's thoughts if he is required to bat today will be on saving the game for his side.

Scoreboard

Yorkshire: First Innings 299 (J A Rudolph 104 not out, G L Brophy 63; G P Swann 4 for 25)

Nottinghamshire: First Innings (overnight 0-1)
M J Wood c Brophy b Bresnan 20
M A Wagh c A U Rashid b Gough 56
A C Voges c Brophy b M Morkel 6
S R Patel b Hoggard 10
*C M W Read not out 115
G P Swann lbw b McGrath 68
S C J Broad not out 52
Extras (b 6, lb 15, nb 8) 29
Total (6 wkts, 101 overs) 356

M A Ealham, R J Sidebottom and C E Shreck to bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-43, 3-58, 4-86, 5-115, 6-251.

Bowling: Hoggard 19-5-75-2; M Morkel 15.2-4-33-1; Gough 14-0-70-1; Bresnan 19.4-3-48-1; McGrath 17-1-57-1; A U Rashid 16-3-52-0.

Umpires: S A Garratt and P J Hartley.