Ben Slater and Lyndon James hit sparkling unbeaten centuries as Nottinghamshire pressed home their advantage on Day Two of their LV= Insurance County Championship fixture against Durham at the Riverside.

Slater’s knock, the tenth of his first-class career, came in 186 balls as Notts, having resumed on 50 without loss, batted through the second day to close on 371/3, an overall lead of 141.

Academy graduate James, meanwhile, became the third man (after Slater and Ben Duckett) to hit a half-century in the innings shortly before tea, and he also pushed on into the evening, recording his maiden first-class hundred just before the close.

Slater and James were unbeaten throughout the entire final two sessions to add more than 200 runs and put the Green and Golds into the lead.

Earlier, the sun had been a little more willing to make an appearance than it had been on the first day, and although the Riverside was still subject to a chilly wind, conditions appeared good for batting.

That was certainly backed up by Slater and Duckett, who, after the early dismissal of Haseeb Hameed for 33, charged through the majority of the morning with a stand of 93 that saw both amass their respective fifties.

Slater’s arrived first, with a single to backward square leg off 97 balls, while Duckett’s came at a faster pace, from 67 deliveries, with a pull through the leg side.

However, just as it looked as though the two may go to lunch unbeaten, Duckett was bowled by Matty Potts for 54, before Joe Clarke was also removed just before the first break, caught in the slips by David Bedingham.

Up stepped James after the break, and he and Slater made hay while the sun shone throughout the afternoon, with the latter first reaching a personal milestone of 6,000 first-class runs before going to his century.

James followed him just before tea by bringing up a fluent fifty, with the Green and Golds reaching the second break on 276/3 and the fourth-wicket partnership standing at 121.

Both continued to press on into the evening, with Notts picking up a third batting point through reaching 300, before Slater manoeuvred his way past his previous high score for the Green and Golds, 142, and to his 150.

In the final trappings of the day, James also passed his previous career-best of 91, before advancing to a moment which will stay with him for years to come, reaching his maiden first-class hundred with three overs to go.

The partnership passed 200, making it Nottinghamshire’s largest for the fourth wicket against Durham, and the Green and Golds will now look to tomorrow in the hope of another dominant day.

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