Nottinghamshire remain on course for a fourth straight victory in the Specsavers County Championship but were held up by Glamorgan on the third day of their match at Cardiff.

The home side were made to follow on at the start of the day, having been 261 runs behind on first innings. Second time around they fared much better and at the close had reached 212 for five, still 49 runs away from making Notts bat again.

Luke Fletcher took two of the wickets to fall, giving him five so far in the match. “It was a very tough day,” he said. “Obviously, we decided meant to enforce the follow on and although it didn’t go as planned we’re very much in control of the match.”

Fletcher’s first scalp came with his very first delivery as Nick Selman left alone a ball that clattered into the stumps.

“It was never really missing,” said Fletcher. “It’s not as if I can say it nipped back or anything because it didn’t really leave that line but obviously as a bowler I’ll take it.”

The 27-year old added, “It was an old school, attritional day, where they ticked along at one and a half or two runs an over, so it meant we had to be patient for 96 overs.

"But there’s a little bit in the wicket and we’ve got a second new ball, so we’ll have another crack in the morning and see how we get on.”

The morning began well for Notts with an early strike as Fletcher’s opening delivery, the first of the second over, was inexplicably left alone by Selman, who had to troop off red-faced after hearing the ball clatter into his unprotected off peg.

Notts were then held up for around 90 minutes as Jacques Rudolph and Will Bragg put on a half century stand but both were dismissed with the score on 54.

Bragg had made 30 when he was pinned in front by a full-length delivery from Harry Gurney and then Brett Hutton ended Rudolph’s stubborn stay.

The Glamorgan captain had battled through 57 balls, scoring just one boundary in his 14, before getting an unplayable delivery that kissed the outside edge as it moved away late and Riki Wessels, again deputising behind the stumps for the injured Chris Read, did the rest.

It was cricket for the purist in the two hours between lunch and tea with Glamorgan fighting to preserve their wickets and Notts rolling the dice to try and conjure up further breakthroughs.

Aneurin Donald was the only batsman to fall in the middle session but he was culpable in his own dismissal. The right-hander, who had top-scored with 53 in the first innings, pulled Stuart Broad away for a big six and was nicely set before an aberration.

On 36 he chose to charge the spin of Samit Patel, was beaten in the flight, and was bowled whilst being several yards out of his ground.

Colin Ingram and David Lloyd prevented any further damage, moving the score on to 154 for four at tea.

Their partnership eventually spanned 42.2 overs, during which 78 runs were added. Late in the day, armed with the second new ball, Fletcher pitched one on a good length and it lifted, took the edge, and flew to Mullaney at second slip.

Lloyd had made 37 in 157 minutes at the crease but his effort was outdone by the stubbornness of Ingram, who reached his 50 from 153 balls and by the close had moved on to 72 not out, from 209 deliveries faced.

The Notts’ attack will rest up overnight, knowing that an early breakthrough on the final morning could help bring a swift ending to proceedings.