English wicketkeeper-batsmen live in competitive times and, presented with a flat pitch, Chris Read did his best to match James Foster’s double hundred for Essex by making an unbeaten 161 to help Nottinghamshire to safety. A draw seems the only possible result.
After resuming on 191 for two, Mark Wagh and Samit Patel completed centuries before Wagh played all round a leg break from Danish Kaneria and Patel edged a wide one from Ravi Bopara. Nottinghamshire were 208 short of avoiding the follow-on when Andy Bichel dismissed David Hussey to reduce them to 343 for five.
But Read’s stand of 155 in 51 overs with Mark Ealham defined the day. Read decided that attack was the best means of defence and, after early fumbling, the second of two consecutive sixes off Kaneria disappeared into the River Cam. He reached his hundred with a straight six off James Middlebrook. It was his eleventh first-class century and his second of the season after scoring his highest – 165 – in defeating Essex in May.
Ealham, who ground out 54 off 147 balls, was leg-before sweeping at Middlebrook and Paul Franks was leg-before to Kaneria to make it 501 for seven. But Read was unperturbed and continued to drive the spinners with almost lackadaisical wristiness.