Nottinghamshire fell to an innings defeat versus Essex in the Vitality County Championship, but results elsewhere kept fate in the Green and Golds’ hands going into the final two fixtures of the campaign.
The visitors lost their eight remaining wickets in the first session at Chelmsford having resumed 187 runs behind Essex, with Haseeb Hameed top scoring on 105 - five of which were added on the fourth day.
Joe Clarke made 67, and Kyle Verreynne finished unbeaten on 38, while Simon Harmer led the visitors’ attack with four wickets as Notts were dismissed for 267.
The two bowling bonus points gained bettered that of Lancashire - who themselves fell to an innings defeat against Durham - meaning a buffer of 11 points heading into the final two weeks of the season.
Hameed, who batted for over three hours on the third day, departed in the fifth over of the first session - deemed leg before to Sam Cook - a judgment which began Notts’ slide.
Clarke fell two overs later to the same bowler with Harmer catching sharply to his left in the slips.
Vereynne and Jack Haynes shared 12 overs at the crease, before the latter offered Paul Walter a return catch having faced 48 deliveries for his eight, and Lyndon James departed two balls later, driving the seamer to Shane Snater at cover.
A cameo from Liam Patterson-White ended when he edged Jamie Porter behind.
Verreynne batted with the fluidity discovered by Hameed and Clarke a day prior, and found a willing partner in Rob Lord who faced just 29 balls for his 21 - a knock which included four fours - before he turned Harmer to short leg.
Fletcher’s gate was breached by Harmer two deliveries later, before Farhan Ahmed’s resolute 30-ball innings ended with an edge behind with Nottinghamshire still trailing by 83.