SECOND CENTURY FOR RAMPANT TAYLOR IN DURHAM DRAW

Brendan Taylor wrote his name into the Nottinghamshire record books on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship match against Durham at Trent Bridge.

The former Zimbabwe captain was undefeated on 105 when rain brought a premature conclusion to the contest early in the afternoon. Taylor’s second hundred of the contest made him the first Notts batsman to achieve the feat since Russell Warren, who did it against Middlesex, at Lord’s in 2003. He’s the first to do it at Trent Bridge since 1989.

When play was halted Nottinghamshire were on 289 for five in their second innings, an overall lead of 376 – and a declaration appeared imminent, with only 63 overs remaining.

Notts began the day on 104 for one, in their second innings, a lead of 191. Any immediate progress was stifled as Graham Onions dismissed Greg Smith for 21 in the first over of the day, trapping the batsman lbw with one that kept low. The bowler then added to Durham’s injury problems by limping off midway through his fourth over.

Jake Libby steered Chris Rushworth to gully for 42 and Michael Lumb hit a return catch to Scott Borthwick, having made 52 from 71 balls

Taylor played superbly, monopolising his 97-run stand with Lumb as he hit a couple of sixes off Borthwick and another from the bowling of Paul Collingwood to bring up his 50 from just 35 balls.

Unbeaten on 82 at lunch, with the side 344 ahead, Taylor was given the opportunity to register his 28^th first class hundred when the innings was allowed to extend into the afternoon session.

Samit Patel fell straight after the resumption, chopping into the ‘keeper’s gloves for 10, to give Borthwick his eighth wicket of the match.

Taylor pulled the same bowler for six to move to 96 and then dabbed part-time bowler Mark Stoneman to third man to bring up his ton; getting there from 79 balls, with nine fours and five sixes.

Another punch down the ground followed but by then steady drizzle was falling and the umpires decided that it was time to call a halt to proceedings.

Both sides take 12 points from the contest, leaving Notts in seventh spot in the table on 69 points.