On a day in which two wily old campaigners each picked up six wicket hauls, Nottinghamshire and Lancashire contrived to produce one of the very best days of county championship cricket in their clash at Southport.

Andre Adams took 6-71 for Notts as the home side were dismissed for 179 but then Glenn Chapple responded with the similar figures of 6-70 as the visitors made 233 in their second innings.

The match situation leaves the hosts needing a further 250 runs, when play recommences, having reached 8-0 at the close, in pursuit of 258.

The Nottinghamshire scorecard featured half centuries for both Alex Hales and Graeme White, who understandably was delighted to reach the landmark for the first time for the county.

“I guess it was just my day and I was a bit lucky,” he said modestly.

“I enjoyed my partnership with Steven Mullaney. He’s the stylish batsman and I’m the grubby one but we put on some good runs together and every run we scored on there was absolutely vital.”

White reached his 50 in the most glorious of ways. On 44, with Lancs putting seven men on the ropes in order to bowl at Darren Pattinson, he heaved Tom Smith high over the midwicket boundary for six.

“There wasn’t much of a thought process that went in to that shot – I just knew my only real scoring area was in that direction and if he pitched it up I was going to try and hit it as hard as I could.

“I swung nicely and knew it had come out of the screws so was pleased to see it sail over the ropes.”

The day began with the home side resuming, 117 runs behind, on 86-4 and nightwatchman Gary Keedy played his role to perfection by looking to attack from the start of play. He took Adams for a dozen from four deliveries – 2 4 2 4 – and sped to 20 before edging Darren Pattinson to third slip where Adams took a sharp catch.

Having assisted his team-mate to claim the first wicket of the day Adams then snared the next two, via his own devices. Tom Smith (7), looking to leave, lost his off bail to the one that nipped back. Two balls later Gareth Cross (0) was trapped in front.

Croft reached 25 before becoming Adams’ sixth victim, with Alex Hales taking the sharpest of chances high above his right shoulder at slip.

Lancashire’s ninth wicket was their captain, Glenn Chapple. He had shown his power by hitting Adams for an ‘Adams-type- blow high over long off for six – but on 19 he tried to do the same to Luke Fletcher and had his leg stump uprooted. At 167-9 the Red Rose county had lost nine wickets for exactly 100 runs.

The last pair added a dozen – principally though Kyle Hogg (23 not out) before the returning Pattinson took his third wicket, getting Simon Kerrigan (3) caught behind. Returning figures of 3-46, Pattinson had offered terrific support for Adams, who ended with 6-71.

Notts’ ideal morning was mistimed by around three minutes, as their openers had to face one testing over from Chapple before lunch but Hales got his account underway scoring all five runs made.

In hot, steamy conditions, a Festival crowd of more than 2,800 enjoyed the use of the outfield during the break – able to reflect on a gripping opening session.

In just the third over of the afternoon Neil Edwards (2) edged behind off Hogg and then Riki Wessels (4) fell to a catch at the wicket off Chapple.

A stand of 56 between the two England Lions ended when Hales (50) clipped Smith to backward point shortly after reaching an impressive half century. Samit Patel (22) again got a start but a miscalculation cost him his wicket, leaving one from Chapple that clattered into his off peg.

Adam Voges (16) became Chapple’s third scalp of the day, again to a catch by ‘keeper Cross. Chris Read and Steven Mullaney took Notts to tea with an overall lead of 161 with half the wickets remaining.

The restart saw both Read and Adams depart inside the first couple of overs. The Notts skipper (22) edged Chapple behind with Adams (0) clean bowled by Hogg first ball.

Mullaney’s next partner was Graeme White and the pair chipped away over the next 75 minutes, adding 71 runs in 18 overs. The former Lancashire man made 42 before being trapped lbw by Smith but then came White’s lusty blow to bring up his fifty.

Pattinson (6) and Fletcher (4) enabled Chapple to complete a 6-wicket bag, leaving White unbeaten on 54. Lancashire’s openers added eight in the last over of the day to set up the prospect of another titanic struggle on Thursday.