YORKSHIRE have work to do to avoid an opening round Specsavers County Championship defeat against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

Notts dominated an overcast third day with ball and then bat to give themselves a good chance of victory, despite the batting friendly nature of the pitch.

That is a big plus for the White Rose, who will be set an unlikely victory target above 400 during tomorrow’s fourth morning.

Notts claimed a first-innings lead of 117 shortly before lunch and reached close at 329-5 in their second innings. They lead by 446.

Joe Clarke, not out on 97 off 121 balls, was one of four men to pass 50 to add to his impressive 112 earlier in the match.

Replying to 408, Yorkshire started day three on 206-5 in their first innings with Joe Root at the crease on 56.

But he was one of five wickets to fall for 85, finishing with 73 off 138 balls.

Root, who later left the field having been struck on the left hand whilst fielding, was the first of three wickets to fall to Samit Patel’s left-arm spin, with himself, Matthew Waite and Steve Patterson all caught at first slip.

Having posted his first Championship fifty in 10 innings, Root was furious with himself having shimmied down the pitch trying to launch Patel over long-on.

Waite fell pushing forwards and then Patterson driving.

Either side of those wickets, Jonny Tattersall was bowled by Luke Fletcher and Duanne Olivier caught behind against Stuart Broad.

Ben Coad was at least able to add a useful 26 not out, including successive sixes over cover and wide mid-off against Patel. But Yorkshire narrowly missed out on a third batting bonus point.

Notts started their second innings two overs before lunch on a pitch which has seemingly quickened up a touch since the early stages of the contest.

And they lost Ben Slater to Coad, who struck for the first time this season as Adam Lyth took the first of two catches at second slip (6-1).

Slater’s opening partner Ben Duckett played positively for 61.

He shared 88 for the second wicket with Chris Nash, who also reached 50.

When Duckett fell to Olivier after lunch, edging to Lyth, Notts were 94-2 in the 24th over and leading by 211.

Former Sussex man Nash was more measured in accruing 75 off 152 balls. He and Clarke added 102 for the third wicket either side of tea, taking the home lead beyond 300.

But Nash fell to the first ball of a new Olivier spell when he miscued a pull to Root at square-leg, leaving the score at 196-3, a lead of 313 with a little under 20 overs remaining in the day.

By that time, the floodlights were on with signs of rain in the distance.

However, the bad weather did not eventuate, allowing Clarke, a winter arrival from Worcestershire, the chance to re-affirm his England senior potential.

He reached his fifty off 82 balls having been joined at the crease by captain Steven Mullaney.

And that was when the acceleration came.

They brought up their 50 partnership in eight overs, with Mullaney lofting Root and Waite for sixes over mid-wicket and straight on the way to 50 off 48 balls.

Almost immediately afterwards, he dragged a full toss from Waite onto his stumps with the lead just short of 400 – 278-4. Waite later had Tom Moores caught behind.