Chris Read helped himself to a second century of the season as Nottinghamshire dominated day three of their LV= County Championship game against Middlesex at Trent Bridge.
Having passed three figures for the first time this summer in the four-day game between the sides at Lord's back in April, the Notts captain was at it again, this time on home soil.
Having been dropped on 54, the 36-year-old Nottinghamshire Captain went on to score 108 from 206 balls as Notts built a useful first innings lead.
Resuming on their overnight score of 180 for 4, Notts found themselves in a spot of trouble when Samit Patel was bowled, in the third over of the day, at 184 for 5 and Steven Mullaney holed out to Tim Murtagh off Ollie Rayner 45 runs later. At that stage, they still trailed Middlesex by 145.
However, despite losing 15 overs to rain, Notts pushed on after lunch with Read and Brett Hutton adding 157 for the seventh wicket.
Read struck eight fours in reaching his half century, off 101 balls, and posted three figures off 190 balls. Having been dropped at slip by Ollie Rayner on 54 – a sharp chance to the Middlesex man’s right hand - he eventually fell to Toby Roland-Jones, at 386 for 7.
Hutton, meanwhile, batted beautifully to post his highest first-class score of 72. The 22-year-old all-rounder brought up his own half century off 121 balls, with seven fours.
Hutton continued after his skipper's departure and with Luke Wood, who was dropped on nought off the bowling of Dawid Malan, and the youthful pair added 25 for the eighth wicket.
However, he finally departed at 419 for 9 and at that juncture Notts declared with a first innings lead of 45.
Middlesex opener Sam Robson and nightwatchman James Harris successfully negotiated the final two overs of the evening and trail Notts by 38 runs with all ten second innings wickets in hand.
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