A century from Ed Joyce helped Sussex to 244-3 in their second innings on the third day of their LV= County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
The visitors closed with an overall lead of 222 after they had bowled Notts out for 413 in their first innings.
Joyce, five days short of his 36th birthday, stroked his eighth first class century of the season in making an unbeaten 115, scoring his runs from 117 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes
The Sussex captain had made an unbeaten 204 on the same ground last season and combined with Chris Nash to put on 152 for the second wicket.
Debutant Luke Wood admitted it was a little strange after a summer in the second team to be running in against more high-profile opposition.
“It’s been a bit strange, I’m not used to coming in and bowling to the likes of Ed Joyce and Chris Nash but I’m very pleased with how it’s gone so far and hope it can continue to go well on the final day," he said.
“It’s obviously everyone’s dream to make their first class debut and to do it at Trent Bridge, I’m delighted.”
Notts had begun the day on 310 for three, with Taylor unbeaten on 101 and Riki Wessels on 15. With the second new ball only 6 overs old it was no surprise that Chris Jordan and Steve Magoffin shared the bowling duties and an early wicket followed.
Without adding to his overnight score, Wessels (15) was clipped on the pad by Jordan and given out lbw by umpire Hartley.
Under grey skies, with the floodlights on, a testing hour saw both Taylor and Samit Patel edge nervily through the slip cordon for fours.
Magoffin settled into a lengthy spell and had been going for more than an hour when his persistence paid off, having Taylor (126) caught behind by Ben Brown.
With Chris Read for company, Patel eased Notts towards maximum batting points but rode his luck considerably. In the 109th over, bowled by Lewis Hatchett, Patel was dropped three times in a row.
A regulation nick was put down by Jordan at first slip, the ‘keeper spilt the second and then Ed Joyce, at point, put down his third catch of the innings.
Patel’s luck ran out in the next over. With 8 needed from it, to secure a fifth batting point, he charged towards Zaidi and was stumped for 41.
Hatchett’s fortunes changed, bowling Read (15) via a deflection to leave the score on 398-7 at lunch, a lead of just 7.
Nottinghamshire’s plight worsened straight afterwards, as Fletcher (4) was pinned in front by Magoffin in the opening over of the second session.
Harry Gurney (10) then lost his middle stump to Hatchett and Gary Keedy (0) chipped the same bowler to Craig Cachopa at mid on. Luke Wood, on debut, was undefeated on 2.
Michael Yardy opened the Sussex second innings, instead of Luke Wells and could have fallen for just a single. Alex Hales, albeit a difficult chance at third slip, could have caught the left-hander from Gurney’s first delivery of the second over.
Yardy (6) didn’t make the most of his reprieve, edging to Patel to give Fletcher his 200th first class wicket.
That was the end of the good news as far as the afternoon session went as Chris Nash and Ed Joyce batted with great gusto in putting on 136 in 22.4 overs before tea.
Both batsmen reached their 50 in the same over, the 22nd, bowled by Keedy. Joyce got there from 52 balls (7x4 1x6) and Nash followed two balls later (61 balls 8x4).
They rattled along at a great rate with Notts unable to contain the prolific duo until Fletcher arrested the momentum shortly after the restart, getting Nash (85) caught behind by Read.
A top-edged 6 off Gurney took Joyce to 83 and he found another good foil in Craig Cachopa who scored 29 before being bowled by Luke Wood in failing light.
Joyce reached his ton (105 balls 11x4 2x6) and hit a further maximum before the umpires had deteriorated too much and led the players from the field with 13.3 overs still to be bowled.