Dane Paterson claimed five wickets for 16, including a devastating opening spell which removed Northamptonshire’s top order, to take Nottinghamshire to victory by an innings and 25 runs inside three days at Wantage Road.

Paterson proved unplayable with Northamptonshire having few answers in overcast conditions offering prodigious movement for the seamers.

The right-armer posed a constant challenge around off-stump with a metronomic line and length.

His first four scalps came in an opening burst of eight overs, all thanks to catches behind the wicket which left the Steelbacks reeling at 11/4. Despite Saif Zaib (26) putting up some resistance, they never recovered and were all out for 72.

Earlier Joe Clarke (76) scored his second half-century of the season to give Nottinghamshire a healthy 97-run lead which could have been higher but for career best figures of 4/24 for James Sales and four wickets for Tom Taylor.

But any hopes that their efforts would open the game back up for Northamptonshire were soon dashed when Paterson had ball in hand.

Nottinghamshire resumed one run behind on 157/4 in testing conditions, the home bowlers frequently beating the bat and drawing the batters into playing outside off-stump.

They made early inroads, taking two wickets in five balls. Taylor picked up his third of the innings when Lyndon James (26) drove loosely to first slip where Ricardo Vasconcelos took a sharp catch. Steven Mullaney then went quickly lbw without scoring, shouldering arms to Jack White.

By this stage Nottinghamshire were just 26 ahead on 184/6, but Liam Patterson-White stuck around with Clarke in a stand worth 58 in 17 overs to steady the ship.

In between unplayable deliveries, Northamptonshire were often guilty of straying from their line allowing Nottinghamshire to cash in, with Clarke passing 50 thanks to a wide legside delivery.

Fielding mishaps did not help their cause either as they conceded 14 byes and five wides, while Patterson-White was dropped in the slips on 9.

James played attractively for his 15, before giving Vasconcelos a fourth slip catch when playing an extravagant drive to Sales.

Clarke had also played largely fluently, sweetly timing the ball to the boundary, stroking 10 fours in four hours at the crease. But he departed when flashing at a wide ball from Sales, with Buckingham taking a good catch at deep backward point.

Sales picked up his fourth wicket when he got one to come back and knock over Brett Hutton’s stumps while Paterson was last man out, bowled by Taylor.

Northamptonshire’s batting jitters returned immediately with both openers back in the dressing room inside two overs thanks to Paterson, who picked up Vasconelos driving loosely low to first slip and Emilio Gay who played in similar fashion, this time giving third slip a comfortable catch.

With Brett Hutton keeping up the pressure at the other end, the procession continued when Whiteman prodded at one just outside off-stump from Paterson, with Clarke taking a good tumbling catch behind. Rob Keogh fell two balls later when he was squared up, the ball flying to third slip.

Zaib provided some stubborn resistance, starting to rebuild the Northamptonshire innings in a stand of 35 with Sales, but he rode his luck at times, ultimately falling when he drove James in the air to Slater who took a good tumbling catch at mid-off.

Sales departed two runs later when he edged Mullaney behind, while Harry Gouldstone sent at a wide ball from Hutton straight to point.

Gareth Berg gave Paterson his fifth wicket when he flashed at one straight to Ben Duckett in the slips who could only parry it, with Hutton catching it on the rebound.

Jordan Buckingham’s run out compounded Northamptonshire’s woes and it was left to Hutton to take the last wicket, having Taylor caught behind off another loose shot.

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